Thankful List ~ June 2015

June Thankful List

This month we’ve been able to discover more things to do in our new city.  Explored the children’s museum a couple times, had fun at library story time, went bowling, went to two different pools with friends, and sweated through an outdoor festival at the library.  We are excited about July because we have lots more fun things planned as we learn more about our new community and get to know some new friends a little better.

This month was also very difficult in that we celebrated what would have been our baby’s 1^st birthday.  Taylor, the little one we lost at 11 weeks old, will never be forgotten.  I think June 9^th will always be very emotionally difficult.  There is such a weird aspect to this because last year, on baby Taylor’s due date, we discovered we were pregnant.  So, yes, we are grieved that we lost our baby, but yet, had Taylor joined us we would not have our little Eli whom we love to pieces.  Each year we want to remember baby Taylor by having a little cake of some sort.  This year I went to three stores who didn’t have exactly what I was looking for.  After finally deciding on a cake in the fourth store I took it to the register but the price was mislabeled so the manager gave it to me for free.  On the spot I started crying.  I just thought it was neat how God was present in the smallest of details that day.

Sweet little Elias had a pretty eventful month.  He found his toes, began grabbing anything and everything within reach, and started “talking” (more like squawking) very loudly. He had his four-month check up mid-June and we were told he was in the 2^nd percentile.  The doctor recommended that I nurse him every 2 hours, that we give him rice cereal twice a day as well has vegetables twice a day.  Wow.  The first few days of rice cereal were hard.  He did NOT want it, but we persevered and he started eating it better as we thickened it up a bit.  Then we started him on some green beans, which also presented similar challenges.  All was well until one day shortly after eating he began violently vomiting.  We eventually had to take him to the hospital for dehydration.  Since then any day that we try to give him solid foods he begins vomiting.  Please join with us in prayer for our little guy because the doctor has said that if he does not gain weight he will be classified as “Failure to Thrive” and will most likely have to be hospitalized so they can help him to gain weight.  I am thankful that during this time the Lord is helping me to fight anxious thoughts.  He is reminding me through this circumstance that HE alone is the author and sustainer of life!

Probably the most time consuming and impactful thing we did this month was taking the youth group to Orlando, Florida.  We spent 10 days together being intentional in a variety of ways. The students attended the Son Power Conference in which they, as a youth choir, rehearsed 13 songs and eventual recorded an album that will be released in September of 2015.  Many IMB missionaries will be given a copy of the CD as they are commissioned to go overseas. Before coming on the trip we had all read the book Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris.  We discussed this book and brainstormed ways we could be intentional in our personal lives, in our homes, in our communities, and in the world to do things for the impact and glory of God and His kingdom despite challenges and in the midst of our cultures’ low expectations. To complement these discussions, we studied through the books of 1 Peter and Nehemiah.  We also spent two days preparing bags of food for hungry children with the assistance of the organization Feeding Children Everywhere.  In addition we also had lots of opportunities to fellowship either by going to the pool, playing board games, making meals together, and even visiting Disney World!  We were so encouraged that even while at the parks the youth were focused on the bigger purpose and were actively seeking opportunities to encourage others, pray with people, and even share the gospel.  It was an amazing opportunity to bond with the youth group and focus on eternal things.  I’m so thankful that the kids and I got to go and take part in such a great trip.

Thankful List ~ May 2015

May Thankful List

Sadly, my grandmother, Nana, passed away.  This was very bitter sweet.  My grandmother had been battling cancer for a long time and was in a lot of pain.  I am so very sad not to have her here with me anymore but I know she trusted in Jesus so I believe she is in heaven.  Josh officiated the funeral and the Gospel was shared.  Although the circumstances were not ideal, it was great to see the entire family together. The reception at Dede’s house afterwards went well.  One huge blessing was that on the drive to and from Georgia the kids did very well.

My MOM!  My mom has been a pillar of strength.  She has faithfully cared for my Nana over the past several years.  She has taken her to numerous doctor’s appointments, taken care of Nana’s house and pets, she has cared for Nana physically in some of the most difficult circumstances, and she has rarely if ever complained.  My mom has been an inspiration to me and I’m more proud of her than I could ever say!

JOSH!  I am so absolutely blessed to be married to a loving husband, excellent father, and dedicated pastor.  He has been trying to serve me by helping around the house and caring for the kids.  He plays with all three kids out of joy and not duty.  He is doing a phenomenal job in his pastoral role.  This month he planned and implemented Calvary’s very first Family Room seminar and it went very well.

This month I was able to start a bible study with ladies from the youth group.  I thought I would have about four girls coming and but in all actuality there ended up being 14!  So far it’s been going well.  I’m just so thankful for the opportunity.

Our new neighborhood had a community yard sale, which gave us the opportunity to sell a bunch of random stuff we had stored in our garage and to make a few extra dollars.

May is the best time for strawberry picking!  So we went TWICE!  We’ve had a great time making jam, strawberry waffles, strawberry lemonade cupcakes, strawberry smoothies, and more..

We went as a family to the Wings over Wayne Air show.  Although it was a VERY Difficult day we were still thankful for the opportunity.  We learned from the experience and hope to go back next year.  And when all is said and done, we did have fun.

My mom, my cousin Cassie and her family all come to visit us.  This was such a blessing.  Since Nana passed away I’ve been feeling very homesick and I’m so thankful for the sacrifice they made to come see us.  We had a GREAT time.

One of the most neat things we got to do this month was go to the Hot Air Balloon festival.  I wanted to ride in one so bad but the line was too long so we’ll try again next time.  It was beautiful to see them light up the sky.  I think we’ll remember this one for a long time.

I also had the opportunity to go to one of the Classical Conversation Practicums.  It was wonderful.  We learned more about how to Classically educate our kids and shared ideas from one parent to another.  I left so encouraged and inspired to really give it my all this next year.

More Like You Lord, More Like You.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 

~James 1:2-4

“How are you doing?”

“Fine. You?”

“Good.”

How many of you are accustomed to this type of conversation?  My guess is just about every one of us have had a conversation like this. Maybe you even had this conversation with someone today.  Well, if not today, then probably sometime this past week.  Am I right?  Well, although I am a very vulnerable person I have recently been convicted of offering up the generic responses.  Sometimes it’s just easier.  Sometime I don’t want to seem like I’m complaining.  Well, as I’m remembering the benefits of authenticity I want to challenge you too.  Let’s be real.  Let’s be honest.  Let’s not complain about our difficulties, but let’s acknowledge real challenges and trials in our lives and give credit to a great and mighty God who gives us the power to persevere.

Over the past six months my family has seen God working in amazing ways.  All around us he has been blessing us and revealing to us his might and power.  He has been giving us strength to endure trials.  He has provided people to come along side of us and help us in our weakness.  He has encouraged us with his Word.  He has shown himself faithful.

Here are just a few of the trials we have faced in the past six months:

~ A difficult pregnancy due to a stress fracture in my foot in which I had to wear a walking boot, which led to my hip being dislocated and having severe back problems.
~ Loss of my Grandmother Pasty who lived in Kentucky.
~ Josh transitioning form one job to another.  Commuting two hours a day, six days a week.
~ Leaving a church family we had grown to love and cherish over 9 years.
~ Transitioning into a new church.  Difficulty getting to know people when we lived an hour away and were only at the church a few hours a week.
~ Getting our Raleigh house prepared to sell.  Packing.  Cleaning and constantly straightening so that it could be shown to potential byers.  Multiple showings with little to no notice. Trying to keep the house clean with 2 kids (3 if you count the one I was babysitting). Tired and uncomfortable because of being pregnant and on my feet 18-19 hours a day.
~ Looking for a new home. We looked at over 70 homes online and 15 homes in person in Rocky Mount.  Extra trips driving to and from Rocky Mount.
~ Closing on both houses within less than a month. Rounding up paperwork for four different lenders/ home loans.  Stress because of the details and timing of closing on both homes in one day.  
~ Moving at 36 weeks pregnant.  Could not lift boxes or bend down to put things in cabinets.
~ Stress of making new friends, different traditions and customs at the new church, not knowing any of the neighbors, unsure of where things are or what there was to do in our new community.  Transition for kids in a new school and making new friends. 
~ Josh desiring to do well in his new position and the stress of setting a good precedent.
~ The Flu. Taking care of Josh, Addi and Josiah while I was 38 weeks pregnant.
~ We had a baby and although Elias is a HUGE blessing the sleepless nights, colic, reflux, shots, and traveling back to Raleigh for doctor’s appointments were challenging.  Not to mention physically healing from labor and adjusting to a new family dynamic.
~ Complications nursing Elias (an ugly bout of mastitis).
~ Cold winter with several snow days.
~ Keeping up with daily homeschool lessons.
~ Although visitors are a huge blessing, having family in town for a week at a time is also stressful because of cost of plane tickets, cleaning, cooking meals, and keeping kids who wake up at 6 am from waking up company.
~ School registration deadlines.  Trying to discern what is best for each child and registering for Kindergarten and preschool.
~ Kids with the stomach virus…Twice.
~ Van tire blow out (with all three kids in the van). Buying all new tires for the van.
~ Flat tire on the car.  Buying new tires for the car.
~ Youth group trip to Charlotte.  Trying to figure out how to serve and building relationships with 20+ teenaged while trying to take care of 4 year old, 3 year old, and a 4 week old.
~ My grandfather having emergency open heart surgery (triple bi-pass).
~ My grandmother (Nana) in and out of the hospital because of severe dehydration after radiation treatments.
~ Josh not being able to walk, stand, sit, or lie down and in desperate NEED of back surgery.
~ Fear of Josh's back surgery (especially when the doctor tells him that he needs to update his living will before the operation)
~ Josh's recovery from the back surgery.  He was able to walk or get out of bed for a couple weeks. Trying to care for all three kids without any help was quite challenging.
~ Josiah got hit in the face with a baseball bat.
~ Planning Addi’s birthday party.
~ My Nana passed away.  Emotional time for our entire family.  Funeral in Georgia.
~ Plumbing problems in our new home.
~ Financial burdens of medical bills (my walking boot and physical therapy, Josh’s x-rays, pregnancy, labor and delivery, children’s check ups, flu, stomach virus, Josh's back surgery, etc.).  Financial burdens of taking four trips to Georgia and flying family up to North Carolina.  Financial burdens of moving, vehicle repairs, home repairs, school deposits, etc.

Now, I would hope that over the past six months, although we’ve been through a lot, that others would say we’ve endured well.  I hope and pray that when people have spent time with us we’ve not complained but shown gratitude to the Lord for how he has helped us in each of these circumstances.  If we haven't I want to ask for forgiveness. I hope that we have given credit to the numerous people who have walked along side of us during each of these trials because we have been incredibly blessed.  Most of all I pray that our actions have spurred others to look to Chirst.

Friends, hold me accountable and I’ll try to do the same for you.  Let’s stop the generic responses when people ask us how we are. Let’s be real because that is when we can boast in the Lord and what great things he has done!  Please check out my monthly “thankful lists” for evidences of God’s grace in each and every one of the things mentioned above.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

~Psalm 136:1

So Lord, produce in me steadfastness so I can be more like YOU!

Thankful List ~ April 2015

April Thankful List

Josh recovered quickly from his back surgery. After six weeks he was almost completely back to his old self again! I continue to be thankful for those who served us by watching the kids or providing us with meals.

With all we've had going on, I'm thankful for God’s protection over Josiah. He was hit in the face with a baseball bat and only had a swollen and bloody lip.  I was tremendously thankful we didn't end up at the hospital again.

Addi finished her first year official year of school.  She did a great job with the Classical Conversations curriculum this year and we were thankful for all the evidences of grace we saw in her as she learned things I thought were well beyond her scope to learn.  She never ceases to surprise me.

We also got to celebrate Addilyn’s 5th Birthday. What an absolute honor that the Lord has given us such a blessing in our daughter.  She is smart, spunky, beautiful, and tender hearted.  This year she wanted a Rainbow Pony Art party.  She helped me make lots of the decorations and party favors.  We invited lots of friends.  We had Raleigh, Wake Forest, and Rocky Mount friends all join us to celebrate God's gift to us in Addi-Grace.  I'm also thankful for her bravery in getting her 5 year old shots (she wanted to watch while the nurse gave her 3 different shots and she didn't shed a tear)!

This month I am probably most thankful for the opportunity to fly to Atlanta to visit with my Nana one last time.  After being told by my mom that she didn't think Nana had much time left, we booked a flight for Elias and I.  Although I was worried about the cost, my amazing husband reminded me that in 10 years from now I would pay anything to be able to visit with my Nana.  It's true.  What a great perspective.  I will forever cherish that time I got to sit beside her in the last days of her life.

Thankful List ~ March 2015

March Thankful list

March was ushered in with a tremendous outpouring of love from those at Calvary Baptist Church.  Quite a few people worked together to prepare a Baby Shower and House Warming party for us.  Josh and I didn’t know what to expect but we were amazed at how many people came, the wonderful gifts they brought, and the love they are continuing showing us.  We are so thankful for the wonderful people at Calvary.

Both my mom and Josh’s mom came up for a visit this month.  Ms. Terry came for a little over a week.  She was so helpful.  She made sure to keep up with the dishes and pick up around the house.   My mom came two weeks later and stayed for five days.  She played with Addi and Josiah the whole time.  Both of them were such a blessing to me and I hated to see them go.

After we brought Elias home from the hospital he lost a lot of weight even though he was eating like a champ.  At his one-month appointment he had gained it all back and had surpassed his birth weight weighing 8lb.8 oz.  I’m thankful for the way God has allowed me to provide milk for my sweet baby.  You never know how important this is to a momma’s heart unless you’ve been that mom who desires to nurse and can’t.

I’m thankful for modern medicine.  I had a bout of mastitis and Elias was struggling with severe reflux.  I am feeling 100% better and Elias is showing great improvement.

We had a preschool tour at Englewood Baptist Church this month to evaluate if it would be a good option for Josiah for next year.  It was wonderful.  Josiah had such a great time and we are pretty convinced that this will be the most beneficial option for him.

My sweet Addi girl got the 48-hour stomach virus twice this month.  She was so pitiful but I’m so thankful she recovered quickly and it didn’t spread to anyone else in the family.

I was reminded about God’s perfect timing and his provision several times this month.  One time was when I had my van tire blow out.  I was half way between our church and our house (only a couple miles from each) and it happened right in front of a fire station.  I just kept thinking about if it would have happened the night before when I was trying to get my mom to the airport or later that afternoon when I was taking Elias to the doctor how much more difficult life would have been.  Instead, God was gracious to allow that to happen where Josh could join me quickly, where it was safe to pull over and let the kids play, at a time when Elias had recently eaten and was napping, on a beautiful sunny day, and close to places we could replace the spare and buy a new tire.  Although it was an inconvenience I really did have a lot to be thankful for.  This misfortune also allowed us to meet the firemen at the station.  Josh hit it off with them and returned later with doughnuts to say thank you for their willingness to assist me before he got there.

After being in our new house almost 2 months, we finally were able to meet some neighbors.  We pulled out the baby stroller, went for a walk, and let the kids ride their bikes.  We are excited about the warmer weather so we can hopefully meet a lot more people.

We are so thankful that Josh was given several opportunities to preach over the past month or so.  He loves being able to use his giftings in this area and is excited to continue to grow in this area as well.

Treasuring Christ Church celebrated their 10^th Anniversary this month and I was thrilled to be able to attend the festivities.  The people at TCC have such a special place in my heart and I am so thankful for God’s grace of this church.  For more about why I love this church so much, please check out this post.

We also found out this month that Rion and Kristen are having a little girl!  I love this baby so much already and I can’t wait until August when I get to meet her!

Josh coordinated a Youth Group trip to Charlotte for the Student Life Conference.  They had a great time, learned a lot, came back excited but most importantly one of the youth accepted Christ.  It was a special moment for Josh to walk through the gospel with this young man and to pray with him.   We are so thankful for the work of the Lord in his life.

While Josh was at the conference I had the great privilege of visiting our former neighbors who had moved to Charlotte.  Our family absolutely loves the Jackson family and it was great to catch up with them in person!

The kids and I also went down for a very quick visit to see family in Atlanta.  It’s always so fun to visit.  Although this trip was purposed to see Papa Don who was recovering from open-heart surgery and Nana who is battling cancer with daily radiation treatments, we got to see lots of other family too.

I am so thankful for doctors who God allows to grow in wisdom so they can care for so many people.  I’m thankful for the doctors who have operated on Papa Don and Nana and are continuing to treat them.  I’m thankful for a great pediatrician, Dr. Dirk, who loves my children and truly cares for our family.  It’s always encouraging when we go to see him because we never feel like just another patient, but like a family friend.  I’m thankful for my doctor, Dr. Diebel, who has walked with Josh and I through the miscarriage and the entire pregnancy, delivery and postpartum with Elias.  And, presently, I am most thankful for Dr. Hey, Josh’s surgeon who operated on his back.

The thing I am most thankful for this month is that God protected my husband during his back surgery.  Josh had been having back problems for years. He had X-rays done about 6 months ago and did some physical therapy but nothing really helped. After we moved a few months ago he started working out in hopes to strengthen his back muscles. However, it gradually got a lot worse. Recently he lost feeling in his left leg. He had an MRI, which revealed a severe ruptured disc. After seeing a few different doctors and getting multiple opinions they all told him his only option was surgery. They went in and removed part of his disc (between the L4 and L5 vertebrae) and then they had to shave part of the vertebra to make room for the nerves again (since they had been pinched for quite awhile). He has been in a lot of pain so I'm just so thankful he will hopefully have some relief! He will be in bed for the next 2 weeks and then can gradually get back into a "normal" routine over the next 4-6 weeks.

We have already been loved on by so many individuals in the midst of Josh’s surgery and recovery.  I am thankful for Traci Gallaher who kept Addi and Josiah the day of the operation. I’m thankful for Pastor Brandon, Pastor Matthew, and Robbie Haynes who came to sit with Josh and pray over him before the surgery. I’m thankful for the Bells who transported our kids and came to visit in the hospital.  I’m thankful for Cary Brege who kept my kids the first night Josh got to go home, and for the Prices who also cared for our kids and came to visit Josh in the hospital.  I’m thankful for the Niemanns who visited in the hospital and set up a way for people to bless us through meals and other means.   I'm thankful for Teresa Sanders who brought me dinner at the hospital since I hadn't eaten all day.  There are so many others who’ve asked to help and we are thankful for them as well.  Most of all we are thankful for all the prayers our friends and family have been lifting up for us.  If there is anything that is evident we certainly have a lot to be thankful for!