This evening I enjoyed a nice conversation with my Aunt Julie. She recently took a trip to Nashiville where she was able to see a famous country singer in concert. I jokingly remarked that God had spared no expense with this person.
Then I got to thinking, God spared no expense with any of us. So when we think there's been a mistake in how someone was made, we're wrong. These abnormalities, that Asher has, the fact that his eyes don't work quite right and his ears don't hear as well as they should, this was all part of who God made him. People are offered genetic testing to determine whether their child could have Downs Syndrome before the child is ever born. There are some people who don't recognize God's hand in that child's creation and would choose to not keep him or her. And that just breaks my heart. Both for the child, and for the parent. Surely God knows how to bless us. I understand that having a child with disabilities would be a difficult road, but if that is how God chooses to shower us with blessings, I pray that we recognize that.
Thank you Jesus for knowing us so well, that you know how to best communicate your love to us. Thank you that you take our emotions and concerns into account, but also for knowing how to challenge us to walk deeper with you. Truly, you are loving.
"For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well."
(PS-Maybe I am enjoying having a blog, lol)
29 July 2011
Backseat chorus
I don't know what it is, but Asher so far does not enjoy his car seat. Audrey did not enjoy hers either, until she was a little older. In fact, she would throw such a fit as a baby that Eli and I would take turns reaching our arms to the back seat to rock Audrey's car seat until she was soothed a bit. Asher isn't quite as upset as Audrey was about being in the car, but still, I wonder how I got the two kids in the whole world who don't like car rides as infants?
Now that Audrey is just about 2 months shy of being 3 years old (omgoodness!), she quite enjoys car rides, though she often tells us that she'd rather be the one driving. Her interest in Asher is mostly when his presence affects her. So if her friends are paying attention to him, instead of her, then she will pay attention to him as well. There are a few occasions when she is sweet to him for not particular reason at all, but for the most part, she is rather indifferent. That is, until he starts crying in the car.
Audrey is a chatterbox and Asher's crying quite often interrupts whatever Audrey was saying, which to her, is not acceptable. Her solution used to be to try to talk over him so that we could still hear what she was saying. When that didn't work, she tried to reason with him. That failed as well, so then she would tell us that he needed his paci so he would stop crying. (As if we didn't know, lol.) This too, has not delivered results. Her new idea is to sing him a song. Audrey's song goes like this, "My name's Audrey and your name's Asher" repeated several times in a row. The best part is, sometimes it works! When it does, we tell Audrey that she's a great big sister and that her brother loves her. I hope she hears me, but she goes right back to talking so quickly that sometimes, I am not sure she does.
Eli and I encourage Audrey's attempts to comfort Asher because that's what families are supposed to do, right? I want them both to learn that loving each other includes a myriad of different things, like comforting. I am willing to take the enormous amount of noise in our tiny car any day, any time, if it teaches our children how to care for one another. Not only am I willing to listen to it, but I actually enjoy it and sometimes find myself laughing at the crazy backseat chorus of crying and singing. I love watching the bond form between them and I hope and pray it lasts. I want to encourage Audrey's generally indifferent attitude toward her brother to become one of love and endearment. And I want Asher to know how awesome his big sister is. I want them to make the most of their childhood years together, and I want to give them the tools to do that, even if all I want to hear at that moment is my favorite song on the radio.
I pray that this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship for my kids.
Now that Audrey is just about 2 months shy of being 3 years old (omgoodness!), she quite enjoys car rides, though she often tells us that she'd rather be the one driving. Her interest in Asher is mostly when his presence affects her. So if her friends are paying attention to him, instead of her, then she will pay attention to him as well. There are a few occasions when she is sweet to him for not particular reason at all, but for the most part, she is rather indifferent. That is, until he starts crying in the car.
Audrey is a chatterbox and Asher's crying quite often interrupts whatever Audrey was saying, which to her, is not acceptable. Her solution used to be to try to talk over him so that we could still hear what she was saying. When that didn't work, she tried to reason with him. That failed as well, so then she would tell us that he needed his paci so he would stop crying. (As if we didn't know, lol.) This too, has not delivered results. Her new idea is to sing him a song. Audrey's song goes like this, "My name's Audrey and your name's Asher" repeated several times in a row. The best part is, sometimes it works! When it does, we tell Audrey that she's a great big sister and that her brother loves her. I hope she hears me, but she goes right back to talking so quickly that sometimes, I am not sure she does.
Eli and I encourage Audrey's attempts to comfort Asher because that's what families are supposed to do, right? I want them both to learn that loving each other includes a myriad of different things, like comforting. I am willing to take the enormous amount of noise in our tiny car any day, any time, if it teaches our children how to care for one another. Not only am I willing to listen to it, but I actually enjoy it and sometimes find myself laughing at the crazy backseat chorus of crying and singing. I love watching the bond form between them and I hope and pray it lasts. I want to encourage Audrey's generally indifferent attitude toward her brother to become one of love and endearment. And I want Asher to know how awesome his big sister is. I want them to make the most of their childhood years together, and I want to give them the tools to do that, even if all I want to hear at that moment is my favorite song on the radio.
I pray that this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship for my kids.
27 July 2011
Today is MY day
Shania Twain has this new song that I am in love with. Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved country music. Guess who dressed up as Garth Brooks in 4th grade when it was, "do a presentation on your favorite celebrity" day? That's right, this girl. My outfit was complete with bright purple suede boots...but I digress. So this new song by Shania is awesome. She wrote it after her husband cheated on her with her best friend. I am using it as my anthem to conquer this life that I love.
You see, I love being a wife, I love being a mother, I love being a friend, and I love being my own person outside of all these. With all those things that I love being, comes responsibility and work. But I am still adjusting to being all of these things at once. I have always been my own person, and I have always had friends, so I have those two down pat. It's only been three years though since I have become a wife and two years since becoming a mother. What's more is, it's been just a short 6 months that I have not worked full time. Life has felt pretty chaotic lately with all the big changes and I have felt very overwhelmed by those changes and the new roles I must play. The first couple months of this were spent just surviving. I was about 6 months pregnant when I quit working and this pregnancy was taking it's toll on me. My poor toddler did not get as much mommy time as I was hoping for since every step was painful and the exhaustion factor was huge. Then my husband was let go from his job which was nice for a while after my son was born. It allowed us have time together as family to adjust to our new addition. Since then though, I stopped getting payment from my previous job, and things have started to get crazy again. I have known for quite some time that for the sake of my children, and for my sanity that we need a schedule, some structure that we can depend on. But finding the time between a newborn, a toddler, a husband and friends has been difficult. (Not to mention a now four month old baby who is just learning to sleep through the night. That makes for a tired mama.) This week though, I decided, today is my day, and nothing is going to stand in my way. It's time to start accomplishing those goals of getting the family on a routine. So with coffee by my side, a plan for my baby to sleep, and our awesome God as my guide, here we go.
You see, I love being a wife, I love being a mother, I love being a friend, and I love being my own person outside of all these. With all those things that I love being, comes responsibility and work. But I am still adjusting to being all of these things at once. I have always been my own person, and I have always had friends, so I have those two down pat. It's only been three years though since I have become a wife and two years since becoming a mother. What's more is, it's been just a short 6 months that I have not worked full time. Life has felt pretty chaotic lately with all the big changes and I have felt very overwhelmed by those changes and the new roles I must play. The first couple months of this were spent just surviving. I was about 6 months pregnant when I quit working and this pregnancy was taking it's toll on me. My poor toddler did not get as much mommy time as I was hoping for since every step was painful and the exhaustion factor was huge. Then my husband was let go from his job which was nice for a while after my son was born. It allowed us have time together as family to adjust to our new addition. Since then though, I stopped getting payment from my previous job, and things have started to get crazy again. I have known for quite some time that for the sake of my children, and for my sanity that we need a schedule, some structure that we can depend on. But finding the time between a newborn, a toddler, a husband and friends has been difficult. (Not to mention a now four month old baby who is just learning to sleep through the night. That makes for a tired mama.) This week though, I decided, today is my day, and nothing is going to stand in my way. It's time to start accomplishing those goals of getting the family on a routine. So with coffee by my side, a plan for my baby to sleep, and our awesome God as my guide, here we go.
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