OLW 2016

Present

noun 

Definition of present:  the time right now

Yesterday while thinking about what my One Little Word for 2016 means to me, I was reminded of the story of sisters Mary and Martha in the bible:

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one.^[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

While I do believe most people have qualities of both Mary and Martha, I would like to be able to say I am more like Mary who was present at the feet of Jesus rather than running around worried about planning a perfect Pinterest inspired party and ignoring what was really important. I do believe Martha had good intentions...her priorities where just a bit mixed up just as mine so often are. I want my priority to be Jesus.

This year I want to focus on living now and being present. Not the YOLO type of present :)... because I think that may be a bit reckless and that tends to focus on neglecting responsibilities BUT I do want to rid my days of things such as mindless Facebook scrolling, binge watching Netflix shows and worrying about whether the party I am planning or the craft I am doing with daycare kids will ever meet the high expectations I have for myself thanks to Pinterest. I am not saying Facebook, Netflix, and Pinterest are bad things by any means but I have given them too much of the precious time God has given me and that needs to change in 2016. I believe God gives us so many opportunities in the everyday to see his goodness... to shape us into the people he wants us to be... to serve others...to grow...and too often we are too busy or too distracted to really see them.

I chose the word Present for 2016 because like many people I struggle with being content. I tend to miss opportunities like Martha because I am easily distracted,.I tend to look towards the future and start planning for the next big thing rather than really living in the moment that God has given me right now. 

I am hoping to change that in 2016 :)

So long 2015. It's been a good year.

Christmas!

Wednesday night we went to a Christmas service with the family and then we opened presents at home.

everything from his stocking went directly to his mouth

Christmas Eve at the Tillman's

Christmas Eve with the Murphy's

Christmas is so tiring for babies! 

Christmas morning at the Cruden's

Mav is 4 months!

Maverik turned 4 months old last Wednesday!

His eyes are starting to look a bit darker. They're not brown yet but looking like they could turn eventually. He weighs somewhere between 14 and 15 lbs....we will get a true weight at the doc tomorrow. He rolled from belly to back a week and a half ago...so far he has done it three times and it has never been when we are around other family members. His hair is still falling out but it looks like he has some little stuff filling back in. He is wearing mostly 3-6 month or 6 month clothing now. We have to always go up a size in pants due to the extra fluff from his cloth diapers. He was sleeping through the night but is back at getting up once or twice a night now which isn't bad. He is however very hard to get to sleep at night...that just started last week and I am hoping it is just because his schedule was so messed up because of Christmas. We shall see. He loves trying to sit and stand up. He is getting really good at holding toys now. He loves music...it actually seems to help get him to sleep when he is being difficult...Jake says if you hum/sing amazing grace it helps him fall asleep :) he probably will hate that i shared that but I thought it was too sweet not to note. He loves bath time. I am really hoping to get him into baby swim lessons soon. He is smiling and giggling a lot. He likes to be tickled on his ribs and neck. During most of his naps he folds his hands and it looks like he is praying...its so cute

This past month 

We celebrated thanksgiving with the family.

We went to Stroll on State

We got our first Christmas tree.

We went down to the bike path and saw the Christmas lights...which of course he slept through. 

Christmas came after he turned 4 months so I will leave that for the next post :)

13 weeks-3 month update and lessons in gratitude.

Maverik is 3 months old! 

He is wearing 3 month clothing and sometimes some 6 month pajamas...sizing of baby clothes makes very little sense.

He is smiling so much more...especially when his Dad walks in the door after work :).

He has discovered his hands and loves to suck on them all of the time now!

He loved being tickled on his ribs...especially the right side.

He loves sitting in his mamaroo and bouncy seat as long as he can see people around him.

Bath time is probably his favorite time of day...he loves to kick his feet...i'm planning on signing him up for swim classes in the next couple of  months.

He still loves ceiling fans and being carried around in his tula.

He is starting to be able to hold onto toys.

He still hates having his clothes changed and getting lotion put on after his bath.

He has slept through the night multiple times but has recently been waking up around three every morning again. 

He loves to snuggle.

He is losing a bunch of his hair...he might be a baldy soon :) we will see.

Time is flying by!

Tomorrow we will celebrate our first Thanksgiving as a family of three! 

Since it is a day that we celebrate what we are most thankful for, I wanted to share a few things that I am thankful for this year.

The months leading up to thanksgiving last year I found it a bit difficult to be genuinely thankful.

Things were not going exactly the way I had planned...and that was hard for me...I am a planner.

I like order..I am not a fan of surprises and the unknown,

Although it was a difficult season for me...by the time the end of November rolled around I felt like I had come to a realization that this season, although difficult was meant to shape me and teach me some important lessons about God and his plans for our life. 

By the end of November I felt like I was honestly okay with whatever God had planned for the future of our family...whether that be a biological child or not. 

He used that time of uncertainty leading to those two pink lines to teach me that he knows better than I and that his timing is perfect. 

* Jeremiah 29:11 - " For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

He used that time to teach me to be grateful for what I was already blessed with.

-wonderful doctors and nurses 

-an amazing husband who is always by my side

-friends and family that helped us out, prayed for us, and supported us...and continue to do so.

-a God who cares so much for me. A God that used that time of uncertainty to open our hearts to a future that may include adoption...something that has held a special spot in my heart since I was a little girl...its funny how he works everything together for good...even if it doesn't seem like any good can come of a situation at the time.

* Romans 8:28 - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[ have been called according to his purpose.

I am thankful for that season even though it wasn't the easiest.

I am thankful for the season  this past yea in which Jake and I prepared for our sweet baby boy to join our family.

I am thankful for this present season as a family of three.

I am thankful for answered prayers...and lessons learned in gratitude...

We'll give thanks to you

with gratitude

For lessons learned in how to thirst for you

How to bless the very sun that warms our face

If you never send us rain

-Nichole Nordeman (Gratitude)

Happy Thanksgiving!

11 and 12 weeks

 

I was a bit of a slacker with Mavs update last week so we are combining weeks 11 and 12. 

This week:

we celebrated Felicia's 5th birthday at daycare

Mav helped at our craft show for a bit

He spent time with both sets of grandparents

We visited Bryan and Emily and Mav was happy for about 10 minutes of the whole visit. Poor guy is having some tummy issues...hopefully we will get that figured out soon!

Likes

sitting up

standing up

watching the daycare kids play

trying to hold on to his toys (a new skill this week! )

being tickled

reading

cuddling

his mamaroo

bath time! it's his favorite