I got passionate
I know it’s a touchy subject….
…but I feel the need to talk about Babywise again. A lot of my close friends and family used this parenting technique and have sworn by it, but I honestly cannot wrap my mind around the whole concept of letting your brand new baby (who has only known your womb) cry ALONE in his/her crib for a period of time. I don’t get it. Ok, maybe older babies I can understand this a bit more, but brand new babies? And I don’t really get the scheduled feeding thing either. I get it to a point, but honestly, aren’t some babies little bellies maybe just smaller and need to eat more often than every 3 1/2 hours? It isn’t necessarily the long distance between feedings that bother me, but the crying alone in their crib. What in the world is wrong with rocking your baby to sleep? It isn’t like you…
Read MoreLooking to give away some money???
If you are struggling with what to do with all that tax return money, I have a really great solution! Give it away! Or at least some of it!!! Why not help someone in need? Why not give some running water to a school who has no water? Why not help a child (or adult) get an education? Why not help one of our African brothers or sisters? Why not donate money to buy a mosquito net that could SAVE A LIFE? WHY NOT? Justin and I have had the privilege to have a few conversations with Byron and Lisa Borden. They used to work with our organization, but have recently moved back to Africa, where they lived for several years before moving to Europe. Byron and Lisa are the type of people that you meet and you just want to be around them. They are the type of people…
Read MoreMad At God.
Maisie has been a nightmare to put to sleep lately. It might be because she has been sick. I don’t know. What I do know is that I was getting really frustrated with spending (wasting) so much time trying to get her to sleep. Rocking and rocking and rocking and I can’t even get her to close her eyes! Some nights I don’t mind and I take advantage of the rocking that will soon be no more. Other nights, I just want some time to myself. Anyways, I decided that during these times of trying to get her to sleep, I would spend it talking with God. I have actually been looking forward to putting Maisie down a bit more these days. If I am honest with myself (and you!), the truth is that I haven’t spent much time talking to God lately. I actually have been pretty upset with…
Read MoreSome ramblings from my heart
I just want to be settled somewhere. We have been “on the road” since the end of August. We have been living out of a suitcase for that long, over three and a half months. I feel very unsettled. We don’t know what our future looks like and it is a bit unnerving. All we know is that we will be in Portland for a year. After that? We have no clue. We are waiting to hear from God. Waiting for some BIG sign or answer. Waiting for peace. Waiting for unity. Waiting. Lots of waiting. Reminds me of when I was waiting for Maisie, but she took her sweet time. Two weeks late is REALLY late for a huge pregnant woman! I feel like things are taking their sweet time right now. Justin and I have different feelings about the future, but I have complete faith that we will…
Read MoreWhy Mean Childcare Worker….WHY?!?
Sometimes I just gotta ask, "Why?" Is it really that hard to come and get me when my baby is in hysterics because she wants her mommy? Is it really necessary to think you have it under control when someone else’s child is crying so hard she can’t breath? Is it necessary to only get the mom once that child has thrown up from crying so hard? THIS is why I don’t like to leave Maisie with strangers! We left Maisie at the childcare at church last night and let’s just say it didn’t go so well. The rest of the night Maisie was clingy and insecure. Poor thing. I am not one to let her just cry and cry and cry, so it bothers me when other people do. And on a side note: I had asked the lady to please come get me if she started to cry,…
Read MoreBe Afraid! Be VERY Afraid!!!
I have to say that one of the biggest things that I hate (yes, hate) about the states is how fear driven we are. I remember last summer being scared that there was a bear in my garage (in a Northern California neighborhood) because of all the news stories on bear attacks. This year, I am hearing about child murders and other scary things that just freak me out. I just feel like it is silly sometimes how fearful we are. Today I was walking around the mall with Maisie in her stroller and went up the escalator in Nordstrom. Well, this is a very common practice in Paris (unless you want to carry a stroller up a ton of stairs). So I pretty much feel like a pro at maneuvering the stroller, whether it be going on an escalator, carrying it up and down stairs by myself, or whatever. …
Read MoreConviction
Do you ever have those moments where you are completely touched by something and it is like God is so clearly telling you something? I have had a few of those moments in my life. Some were big things God told/asked me to do and others were small and simple things. One of these moments that sticks out is after I watched The Constant Gardener. I remember how horrified I was that I had been so ignorant to the happenings in Africa. I swore that I would do something. Have I done something? A pathetic, “no” will answer that question. I remember telling someone, “How can I not do something now that I know?” Slowly the shock of what I had seen in this movie had worn away. I guess I let it. My selfishness took over. I think I got pregnant closely after and I probably blamed it on…
Read More