I've been thinking about using cloth diapers. For several reasons but to possibly save some money, and also to help save our planet from my ever growing pile of disposable diapers. I had not gotten past the "think that would be great" stage due to the laundry factor... it's a never ending battle in every household and well a result of Adam and Eve's fall! I mean really before they ate of the fruit, Eve NEVER had to do laundry! Now here we are, a whole industry profiting off of the fall of man!
Okay side tracked.... I called a good friend of mine that I knew has used cloth diapers and her boy is just over a year older than mine... she offered me his diapers... I know what you are thinking...used cloth diapers...well that's just what they are...I mean we scrub blow outs out of clothes sell them at consignment sales (www.divineconsign.net I'm going next week), consignment shops and garage sales...oh and better yet we pass them on to friends... so I'll give them a good washing and try them out on my sweet little boy.... I'll try to get some pics of our little bundle in the new diapers too!
Oh and for those wondering...I stumbled upon a whole subculture on the internet of cloth diaper parents... this particular video was well quite surprising...(I think this dad might be on something...but a great infomercial on cloth diapers) http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=SpRy1aEV7Qs
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
New Life
Two years ago today Natalie was almost exactly 1 month from her first Birthday and I was 11 and half weeks pregnant. I woke up that morning and new something was amiss and called my midwife. She wanted to see me right away but first wanted a sonogram at her other office. So we loaded up and went in. I looked at the sonogram machine and knew instantly that the baby I was carrying was no moving and it was not good. The doctor that was at that office came in and confirmed what we already knew. The baby had stopped growing at about 9 weeks. This new life I had thought was inside me was gone. About 5 months later we found out that we were expecting again and last June we brought a healthy baby home!
As many women that have suffered a miscarriage will tell you, this is such a silent grief. No funeral, no public mourning your loss. How does one grief the loss of a child they never knew, never held, never touched their sweet face? Then, what do you do 2 years later? Virtually no one remembers the first anniversary much less the second one. But most moms do, but how are you supposed to respond to the second anniversary of such a loss? This is such a perplexing question. Sadly most women don't even really talk about it. I mean, most people really don't know what to say to a woman that has just suffered a miscarriage, if anything is said at all, often people retort a cliché that seems somehow to trivialize the situation..."this is for the best" or "what if something were wrong" or "you can have another"
Okay so onto my real point of this whole rambling thought... Here's what I like to do with my anniversary of this day. I like to take some time to ponder this child, remember how joyous I was when I saw those 2 pink lines, how creatively I painted a "I'm the big sister" shirt for Natalie and put it on her for her dad to find. Then I like to think about where God has brought me since, and what amazing things he has done. Today this anniversary fell on Easter. What a great day to have such an anniversary. I lost a child 2 years ago...but this is nothing compared to God sending His own son 2000 years ago. God send Jesus, to do the will of the Father...that we might have new life! I spent a few moments today reflecting on that pregnancy and then at our Easter gathering we celebrated new life. We had a baptism service. People declared they were dead to themselves and pledged their allegiance to Christ. "buried with Christ in his death, risen to walk in NEWNESS of LIFE"
To the child I lost 2 years ago today, that I never held, that I never felt your soft skin, that you never heard me sing sweet lullabys...I know you are beholding God's glory in heaven, and I will always love you and be your mommy. To my Savior who died 2000 years ago, I owe everything. For you lived the life I could not live and you died the death I could not die. Through your death and resurrection I have New Life!
As many women that have suffered a miscarriage will tell you, this is such a silent grief. No funeral, no public mourning your loss. How does one grief the loss of a child they never knew, never held, never touched their sweet face? Then, what do you do 2 years later? Virtually no one remembers the first anniversary much less the second one. But most moms do, but how are you supposed to respond to the second anniversary of such a loss? This is such a perplexing question. Sadly most women don't even really talk about it. I mean, most people really don't know what to say to a woman that has just suffered a miscarriage, if anything is said at all, often people retort a cliché that seems somehow to trivialize the situation..."this is for the best" or "what if something were wrong" or "you can have another"
Okay so onto my real point of this whole rambling thought... Here's what I like to do with my anniversary of this day. I like to take some time to ponder this child, remember how joyous I was when I saw those 2 pink lines, how creatively I painted a "I'm the big sister" shirt for Natalie and put it on her for her dad to find. Then I like to think about where God has brought me since, and what amazing things he has done. Today this anniversary fell on Easter. What a great day to have such an anniversary. I lost a child 2 years ago...but this is nothing compared to God sending His own son 2000 years ago. God send Jesus, to do the will of the Father...that we might have new life! I spent a few moments today reflecting on that pregnancy and then at our Easter gathering we celebrated new life. We had a baptism service. People declared they were dead to themselves and pledged their allegiance to Christ. "buried with Christ in his death, risen to walk in NEWNESS of LIFE"
To the child I lost 2 years ago today, that I never held, that I never felt your soft skin, that you never heard me sing sweet lullabys...I know you are beholding God's glory in heaven, and I will always love you and be your mommy. To my Savior who died 2000 years ago, I owe everything. For you lived the life I could not live and you died the death I could not die. Through your death and resurrection I have New Life!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Best parents are those without children!
Our first born arrived 1 month shy of our 9 year anniversary. During the previous 9 years we saw many friends and family become parents and well many of those kids got pretty old. We saw all the things that we would "never" do. And could tell you all the things we would do right that these people were obviously not doing so well. All those years my husband would say "you know, the best parents are those without any children" What a little idealistic world we lived in! Now sometimes our children are bribed to get them to eat, they watch too much television on occasion. The hair is not always combed when we leave the house, their faces are not always wiped down, they throw fits in public, they throw fits in private, they interrupt adult conversation... it's life, thankfully God is gracious!
Well, some friends of ours don't yet have children, but I just got one of the best parenting tips I've gotten in a long time from her.
Use 30second bursts of attention. Get down on their level, for 30 seconds when I am preoccupied with something such as cooking or cleaning. I often throughout the day, stop, squat down, and just chat with her about what she is doing or something we might do later, or make a plan of book reading when I finish the dishes.
I've noted lots less attention seeking behavior coming from my 2 year old. She is a lot less likely to act out just for my attention and is much more content to play happily while I'm busy. Granted I really try not to parent in such a way that simply changes her behavior. When we address behavior we also point out the root causes of it, and examine her heart in the matter. So it's not that we simply want her to "act" better.... but getting the attention she needs and thrives on makes her a much more pleasant 2 year old to be around...
Who knew how far 30 seconds would get me in accomplishing her unending need for mommy's attention and affirmation?
Well, some friends of ours don't yet have children, but I just got one of the best parenting tips I've gotten in a long time from her.
Use 30second bursts of attention. Get down on their level, for 30 seconds when I am preoccupied with something such as cooking or cleaning. I often throughout the day, stop, squat down, and just chat with her about what she is doing or something we might do later, or make a plan of book reading when I finish the dishes.
I've noted lots less attention seeking behavior coming from my 2 year old. She is a lot less likely to act out just for my attention and is much more content to play happily while I'm busy. Granted I really try not to parent in such a way that simply changes her behavior. When we address behavior we also point out the root causes of it, and examine her heart in the matter. So it's not that we simply want her to "act" better.... but getting the attention she needs and thrives on makes her a much more pleasant 2 year old to be around...
Who knew how far 30 seconds would get me in accomplishing her unending need for mommy's attention and affirmation?
My poor dog!
Last week our Daphne was walking with a "hitch in her get along" The back end was just not looking right. James took her to the vet on Saturday AM. The vet thought she might have strained it, but was concerned about some weight gain. So he ran some blood work on her. They called today and said she has hypothyroidism. Low thyroid...the vet said that the "theory" is that it is an autoimmune disorder in that the dog's body basically attacks itself and destroys the thyroid. So now she has to take thyroid pills the rest of her life, and TWICE A DAY at that! I can barely remember to take my vitamins once a day or give the kids theirs...much less remember to give her a pill twice a day.
Seriously, my vitamins are a "whole food" supplement. If you know anything about this sort of vitamin it's to be taken throughout the day, just like food. We know it's not right to eat one huge meal a day and vitamins that are food based work the same way. But, I would never remember to take these vitamins more than once a day, so I just take them all at once.
How in the world am I ever going to remember to give the dog her pill twice a day? And why don't they have "controlled release" version of doggie thyroid anyway?
Seriously, my vitamins are a "whole food" supplement. If you know anything about this sort of vitamin it's to be taken throughout the day, just like food. We know it's not right to eat one huge meal a day and vitamins that are food based work the same way. But, I would never remember to take these vitamins more than once a day, so I just take them all at once.
How in the world am I ever going to remember to give the dog her pill twice a day? And why don't they have "controlled release" version of doggie thyroid anyway?
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Wow...
Just over 8 years ago we bought our first house. Well, actually our only house so far. We quickly met our neighbors, A couple a little more than 10 years older than us. Living with them was her 14 year old daughter. She loved to play basketball in her drive way and ride her roller skates around. Anytime we were out side she was sure to pop up and start chatting with us. We watched her finish junior high, go through high school, Attended her graduation pool party next door. She is now nearly 22 and is engaged to be married.
During those first several years here our marriage struggled greatly, almost ending at one point. But then Jesus... our lives have a new story now...as a result one of the many hats my husband wears is "Pastor James." Tonight we started that neighbor girl's pre-marriage counseling! I am in total awe of where God has brought us and how he has changed our lives...We now have the great honor doing their pre-marriage counseling and if we have not moved by then, James will be officiating their wedding.
We count it a high honor and privilege to be able to counsel young couples planning on getting married. We really love to share life with them and James and I always comment on how we always get so much out of it...and pray the couples get as much as we do.
During those first several years here our marriage struggled greatly, almost ending at one point. But then Jesus... our lives have a new story now...as a result one of the many hats my husband wears is "Pastor James." Tonight we started that neighbor girl's pre-marriage counseling! I am in total awe of where God has brought us and how he has changed our lives...We now have the great honor doing their pre-marriage counseling and if we have not moved by then, James will be officiating their wedding.
We count it a high honor and privilege to be able to counsel young couples planning on getting married. We really love to share life with them and James and I always comment on how we always get so much out of it...and pray the couples get as much as we do.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
I didn't think about it.
With having 2 small children, preparing our house to go on the market, and taking care of daily household things I have discovered something... I only have so many thoughts that my brain will think during a given day.. when I come to the end, that's it, I'm done thinking and anything left, well it does not get thought about. If it does not get thought about, then it certainly does not get done!
I keep hearing myself respond to my husband "honestly, I did not think about it" When he inquires about something that needs to be done.
This dawned on me yesterday as a friend of mine, who has 4 children 6 and under says the same thing to her husband "well, I just didn't think about it" I mean, it's not as if this woman did not think about anything during her day... she has 4 children for crying out loud, they were not withering away from lack of food, they were dressed, they did not appear filthy so obviously she thought about bathing them, feeding them and clothing them. And she was dressed, fed and clothed.
I could not possibly be as busy as she is and yet somehow she has figured out how to think a few more thoughts during the day because surely she gets more accomplished than I do... Maybe if I had fewer random thoughts, I could think about productive things and accomplish more? hmmm...then I would not have much to blog about now would I?
I keep hearing myself respond to my husband "honestly, I did not think about it" When he inquires about something that needs to be done.
This dawned on me yesterday as a friend of mine, who has 4 children 6 and under says the same thing to her husband "well, I just didn't think about it" I mean, it's not as if this woman did not think about anything during her day... she has 4 children for crying out loud, they were not withering away from lack of food, they were dressed, they did not appear filthy so obviously she thought about bathing them, feeding them and clothing them. And she was dressed, fed and clothed.
I could not possibly be as busy as she is and yet somehow she has figured out how to think a few more thoughts during the day because surely she gets more accomplished than I do... Maybe if I had fewer random thoughts, I could think about productive things and accomplish more? hmmm...then I would not have much to blog about now would I?
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