Though I am healthy, as are my husband and children, and as I write, we are happily preparing our home to hold yet another family member, my heart is heavy.
There is a family I know of who just 2 weeks ago was in a similar situation as our family, happily preparing for the birth of a new baby. I don't know all the details of their life. I don't even personally know the family. I do recognize them as having attended the same college as David and I did at some point. A mutual college friend of ours recently posted pictures that she had taken of this family, the Halls. I looked through the photos and thought, "what a beautiful family!" as four small children gathered around their daddy and quite-pregnant mommy.
Then, early this week, I saw another facebook posting regarding the Hall family. They took their youngest, Taylor, in for a routine 18-month check at the doctor. The doctor found some sort of mass and sent them on to find out what was going on. What they originally thought was a non-cancerous mass on the liver turned out to be a cancerous, growing tumor in Taylor's abdomen, very near her spine.
The family, of course, is shocked. How could this all happen in just the course of maybe a week? I think of the Hall family often and pray for them, and cry many, many tears for them. The mom, Julie, is due with their 5th baby in about 6 weeks.
I know this family is questioning how this could happen so quickly, but I also know their foundation is in Jesus Christ. While they are sincerely suffering, they trust an all-knowing God. What a testimony.
My children are downstairs right now, running like crazy around their dad. They are healthy. They are rambunctious. And lately, I've gotten terribly annoyed with them. But hearing a story such as the Halls' makes me take a step back and sincerely thank God for every moment that I have to hold the babies He has given to me, and even to chase them around and clean up their messes.
Won't you take time today to do the same? Will you thank God that He has given you this day to love your child or another family member that you often take for granted? And will you join with me in prayer for the Hall family - Randy, Julie, little Taylor, her 3 older siblings, and this baby on the way?
If you are interested in following prayer updates for this family, click here to follow them on facebook.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Monday, June 25, 2012
Menu for 6/25
I'm trying something new tonight for grocery shopping. I've been using an app on our KindleFire called "Pepperplate" to create my weekly planner for quite some time. This week, though, I also logged onto their website, http://www.pepperplate.com/, and used it to make the menu as well as my grocery list. I'm a little skeptical about carrying the Kindle around the store instead of my usual pen and notebook . . . but the site separates all of the groceries into categories, so I'm hoping that will be of great benefit. We shall see!
Here is my menu for the week.
Breakfast:
cereal & bagles x2
French toast
egg burritos
homemade cinnamon rolls
Lunch:
Homemade Bagel pizzas x2
egg salad sandwiches
out with family
leftovers
Supper:
out with family (hopefully Panchero's!)
Brats, homemade mac & cheese, coleslaw
White Chicken Lasagna, Homemade French Bread
Pork tacos (roast pork in crockpot), rice & beans
Bible study group supper
I spent all morning cleaning out cupboards, and am hoping to get the refrigerator and freezer done yet today or early tomorrow. Therefore, this week's meals are reflective of whatever surplusses I have found during the organization process. You'll also notice I haven't listed any snacks for the week . . . that's because our cupboards were chock-full of crackers, popcorn, and all sorts of snack-y foods. We will be munching on a bag full of apples & oranges that I had forgotten to take on vacation, as well as several fresh veggies that are still in our fridge!
Happy Monday!
Here is my menu for the week.
Breakfast:
cereal & bagles x2
French toast
egg burritos
homemade cinnamon rolls
Lunch:
Homemade Bagel pizzas x2
egg salad sandwiches
out with family
leftovers
Supper:
out with family (hopefully Panchero's!)
Brats, homemade mac & cheese, coleslaw
White Chicken Lasagna, Homemade French Bread
Pork tacos (roast pork in crockpot), rice & beans
Bible study group supper
I spent all morning cleaning out cupboards, and am hoping to get the refrigerator and freezer done yet today or early tomorrow. Therefore, this week's meals are reflective of whatever surplusses I have found during the organization process. You'll also notice I haven't listed any snacks for the week . . . that's because our cupboards were chock-full of crackers, popcorn, and all sorts of snack-y foods. We will be munching on a bag full of apples & oranges that I had forgotten to take on vacation, as well as several fresh veggies that are still in our fridge!
Happy Monday!
Friday, June 22, 2012
My Baby Girl Turns 2!!
We're home! I am just now logging on to the internet for the first time since late Friday night, and (this is a real shocker) I haven't even checked facebook yet! I know once I get on that and Pinterest, all of my time will be spent "catching up". So I figured I'd better post this first.
Yesterday, my baby Julia turned two. When I got old enough to have a three-year-old, a two-year-old, and a baby on the way, I have no idea! Last I checked I was living on my own in an apartment, barely out of college, and dating the neighbor boy. (Yes, that neighbor boy was David . . . the only person I ever dated!)
Since I shared Samuel's birth story, I thought I'd go ahead and do so for Julia, too. For whatever reason (I imagine it has to do with him being my first), I have to think a little harder to remember all the details of Julia's birth than I did for Samuel's!
I was due on Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010. It had been a rough couple of years, having gotten married and gone through several trials, then having Samuel, and unexpectedly finding out we would be having another baby when Samuel was only 6 months old.
On Saturday evening, the 19th, I started having fairly regular and sometimes intense contractions. David and I were both quite nervous about the whole labor process, since I was only in the hospital for little over an hour before delivering Samuel. We live 45 minutes from the hospital, so we were not willing to take any chances with this baby! We decided around 9:00 that night that we should go in and see if I could be admitted since we were pretty sure it was the beginning of labor.
One thing I remember being very sad about was that my main OB was still on vacation. She would not be back until Monday, and since I just adore her, and she had also delivered Samuel, I was really wanting her to be the one to deliver Julia as well. I was very thankful, though, to find that my second choice was on call for Saturday night into early Sunday.
When we got to the hospital around 10:30, my contractions were 10-15 minutes apart and I was dilated to 4 cm. They put monitors on me and let me lay in a waiting area and chew on ice. I know the ice seems to be a very small part of this story . . . but ice is one of my favorite things during pregnancy. Especially the incredibly crunchy crushed ice they have in the delivery area.
I was monitored all night, and though our nurse insisted David and I get some sleep, we were both uncomfortable and just ready to have a baby. We stayed awake watching old TV shows and visiting, and all the while, my contractions seemed to be slowing. By 4:00 a.m. they were 30-40 minutes apart, and I had not dilated any further. The on-call doctor said she could come in and break my water to try and speed up labor, or that we could go ahead and leave and come back when the contractions were closer again. She said, though, that we should not go home since I was definitely in beginning labor and we live so far away.
What in the world do you do at 4 in the morning on a Sunday, though?? Walk around Wal-Mart. We actually kind of enjoyed ourselves, picking out a little outfit for David to get after I delivered, if the baby happened to be a girl. At 5 we went to IHOP where we wasted about another hour eating stuffed French toast. Finally, around 7:00 when we had walked around the mall with the older people for an hour and realized we truly had exhausted all of our options, we decided we would go home.
We called Labor and Delivery and told them our decision. I was scheduled to be induced the next day, Monday, by my regular OB, Dr. Wenzel.
We picked up Samuel from our friends' house Sunday morning and then went home and took turns sleeping on and off all day. Monday morning we called in at 6:30 as we had been instructed, assuming that we would be able to leave shortly thereafter and have our baby. Since Dr. Wenzel had been on vacation, she had scheduled about 10 inductions for that Monday the 21st. They told me that not only did they have a full induction schedule, but several ladies were in labor and all of their beds were full. I would have to wait to call until 10:30. How disappointing.
Between that time, my contractions started picking up again. They went from 40 minutes, to 30, to 20 . . . I called in at 10:30. "We're still really full. We'll call you when we're ready - probably in an hour or so," they told me. Great.
I had a really terrible stomachache in addition to the contractions, and all I could stand to eat was ice cream, so that was what I ate all morning. I have to say, David and I did really enjoy every moment with Samuel that day. We knew it would be his last day as an only child, so we played with him and read to him.
By 1:00, my contractions were 10-15 minutes apart, and I knew I was going to be having the baby soon. We had not yet received a phone call from the hospital, so I called in and told them what was going on. I was surprised at their non-chalance. They told me to take a bath, and take my time, and to come within the next 2 hours. Maybe they would have a bed ready.
It was actually pretty nice (aside from the whole labor/contraction/pain thing). Instead of going to emergency, since we were technically being induced, we parked in the regular parking lot and took our time getting up to labor and delivery. My parents met us in the lobby, where they had been waiting since 7:00 that morning. They didn't want to miss the birth. We were able to hand Samuel over to them, and go straight back to be admitted.
By the time I was admitted, it was around 3:30. My contractions were less than 5 minutes apart and I was dilated to 6 cm. I don't remember a whole lot from that time - it really seemed to fly by. I do remember asking David repeatedly to tickle my arm, and then yelling at hime to stop touching me. I felt kind of bad about that . . .
Julia Lucile was born at 6:24 p.m. on Monday the 21st - exactly 14 months, 14 days after her big brother. She was a "mommy's girl" from the beginning, crying if anyone else was holding her but me. That was wearing on me, and I have to admit that it took a few months of getting used to.
Once again, God answered our prayers and I did not have an epidural, we made it to the hospital, and my own doctor was there to deliver. We are so thankful for how the events took place as we brought Julia into the world that day.
Here she is this morning, two years later, sporting her new big girl backpack that we gave her to replace her diaper bag. Julia is independent and has an opinion on everything. She loves the color pink, babies, purses, having her hair and nails done, and doing things she's told not to do. Seriously, who couldn't love this girl?? Happy 2nd birthday, Sweet Baby Julia!!
Yesterday, my baby Julia turned two. When I got old enough to have a three-year-old, a two-year-old, and a baby on the way, I have no idea! Last I checked I was living on my own in an apartment, barely out of college, and dating the neighbor boy. (Yes, that neighbor boy was David . . . the only person I ever dated!)
Since I shared Samuel's birth story, I thought I'd go ahead and do so for Julia, too. For whatever reason (I imagine it has to do with him being my first), I have to think a little harder to remember all the details of Julia's birth than I did for Samuel's!
I was due on Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010. It had been a rough couple of years, having gotten married and gone through several trials, then having Samuel, and unexpectedly finding out we would be having another baby when Samuel was only 6 months old.
On Saturday evening, the 19th, I started having fairly regular and sometimes intense contractions. David and I were both quite nervous about the whole labor process, since I was only in the hospital for little over an hour before delivering Samuel. We live 45 minutes from the hospital, so we were not willing to take any chances with this baby! We decided around 9:00 that night that we should go in and see if I could be admitted since we were pretty sure it was the beginning of labor.
One thing I remember being very sad about was that my main OB was still on vacation. She would not be back until Monday, and since I just adore her, and she had also delivered Samuel, I was really wanting her to be the one to deliver Julia as well. I was very thankful, though, to find that my second choice was on call for Saturday night into early Sunday.
When we got to the hospital around 10:30, my contractions were 10-15 minutes apart and I was dilated to 4 cm. They put monitors on me and let me lay in a waiting area and chew on ice. I know the ice seems to be a very small part of this story . . . but ice is one of my favorite things during pregnancy. Especially the incredibly crunchy crushed ice they have in the delivery area.
I was monitored all night, and though our nurse insisted David and I get some sleep, we were both uncomfortable and just ready to have a baby. We stayed awake watching old TV shows and visiting, and all the while, my contractions seemed to be slowing. By 4:00 a.m. they were 30-40 minutes apart, and I had not dilated any further. The on-call doctor said she could come in and break my water to try and speed up labor, or that we could go ahead and leave and come back when the contractions were closer again. She said, though, that we should not go home since I was definitely in beginning labor and we live so far away.
What in the world do you do at 4 in the morning on a Sunday, though?? Walk around Wal-Mart. We actually kind of enjoyed ourselves, picking out a little outfit for David to get after I delivered, if the baby happened to be a girl. At 5 we went to IHOP where we wasted about another hour eating stuffed French toast. Finally, around 7:00 when we had walked around the mall with the older people for an hour and realized we truly had exhausted all of our options, we decided we would go home.
We called Labor and Delivery and told them our decision. I was scheduled to be induced the next day, Monday, by my regular OB, Dr. Wenzel.
We picked up Samuel from our friends' house Sunday morning and then went home and took turns sleeping on and off all day. Monday morning we called in at 6:30 as we had been instructed, assuming that we would be able to leave shortly thereafter and have our baby. Since Dr. Wenzel had been on vacation, she had scheduled about 10 inductions for that Monday the 21st. They told me that not only did they have a full induction schedule, but several ladies were in labor and all of their beds were full. I would have to wait to call until 10:30. How disappointing.
Between that time, my contractions started picking up again. They went from 40 minutes, to 30, to 20 . . . I called in at 10:30. "We're still really full. We'll call you when we're ready - probably in an hour or so," they told me. Great.
I had a really terrible stomachache in addition to the contractions, and all I could stand to eat was ice cream, so that was what I ate all morning. I have to say, David and I did really enjoy every moment with Samuel that day. We knew it would be his last day as an only child, so we played with him and read to him.
By 1:00, my contractions were 10-15 minutes apart, and I knew I was going to be having the baby soon. We had not yet received a phone call from the hospital, so I called in and told them what was going on. I was surprised at their non-chalance. They told me to take a bath, and take my time, and to come within the next 2 hours. Maybe they would have a bed ready.
It was actually pretty nice (aside from the whole labor/contraction/pain thing). Instead of going to emergency, since we were technically being induced, we parked in the regular parking lot and took our time getting up to labor and delivery. My parents met us in the lobby, where they had been waiting since 7:00 that morning. They didn't want to miss the birth. We were able to hand Samuel over to them, and go straight back to be admitted.
By the time I was admitted, it was around 3:30. My contractions were less than 5 minutes apart and I was dilated to 6 cm. I don't remember a whole lot from that time - it really seemed to fly by. I do remember asking David repeatedly to tickle my arm, and then yelling at hime to stop touching me. I felt kind of bad about that . . .
Julia Lucile was born at 6:24 p.m. on Monday the 21st - exactly 14 months, 14 days after her big brother. She was a "mommy's girl" from the beginning, crying if anyone else was holding her but me. That was wearing on me, and I have to admit that it took a few months of getting used to.
Once again, God answered our prayers and I did not have an epidural, we made it to the hospital, and my own doctor was there to deliver. We are so thankful for how the events took place as we brought Julia into the world that day.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
This Week's Menu (June 12)
I didn't post the menu yesterday . . . because I didn't have one until last night! What a month June is turning out to be already, with so much to keep us busy. Yesterday I had an early morning OB appointment, and my mom and sister headed down to help me out with the kids. It turned into an all-day event as we decided to do some shopping while we were in town.
Next week we'll be on vacation, so I won't be posting a menu for then, either. In case anyone wondered, yesterday's meals consisted of oatmeal, Red Lobster for lunch, and Panchero's for supper. It was all delicious.
Breakfast:
cereal, toast/bagels x2
French toast, fresh fruit
eggs, sausage links
Lunch:
meat ravioli w/sauce, cooked carrots
cheese sandwiches, veggies and dip
leftovers x2
Supper:
Tomato Cheese Pie, lettuce salad, fresh fruit
Baked potato bar w/bacon, cheese, veggies
Nachos w/chili
Spaghetti, homemade bread, lettuce salad
Snacks:
pumpkin chocolate chip muffins
fruit cups
graham crackers w/Nutella
carrots & celery with dip
This week is filled with preparations for vacation, so everything we're eating is pretty simple. Today already, I've made Chex mix, trail mix, and banana oatmeal muffins - all in the freezer and ready for next week!
Happy eating!
Next week we'll be on vacation, so I won't be posting a menu for then, either. In case anyone wondered, yesterday's meals consisted of oatmeal, Red Lobster for lunch, and Panchero's for supper. It was all delicious.
Breakfast:
cereal, toast/bagels x2
French toast, fresh fruit
eggs, sausage links
Lunch:
meat ravioli w/sauce, cooked carrots
cheese sandwiches, veggies and dip
leftovers x2
Supper:
Tomato Cheese Pie, lettuce salad, fresh fruit
Baked potato bar w/bacon, cheese, veggies
Nachos w/chili
Spaghetti, homemade bread, lettuce salad
Snacks:
pumpkin chocolate chip muffins
fruit cups
graham crackers w/Nutella
carrots & celery with dip
This week is filled with preparations for vacation, so everything we're eating is pretty simple. Today already, I've made Chex mix, trail mix, and banana oatmeal muffins - all in the freezer and ready for next week!
Happy eating!
Monday, June 4, 2012
This Week's Menu
Have you ever heard of Money Saving Mom? If not, I'd encourage everyone to stop over at her blog, http://www.moneysavingmom.com/. Crystal has been a huge encouragement to me in so many areas - finances, family, loving God, and so much more.
One of the things she always does is to make a meal plan for each week. This is something I too have done for quite some time. I have been pretty proud of myself for the small amount of money we've been able to spend every two weeks . . . and yet, I've been too proud to admit that we never have enough food. "It's not possible," I'd argue with David everytime he mentioned it, "I plan every single week, every single ingredient."
And then it dawned on me. I make a bi-weekly supper plan. I did finally get into the habit of buying a few things for David's lunches, but I completely neglected to plan for this pregnant lady and her two toddlers that are home all day eating a whole lot more than just suppers!
So last week, I changed my habit. I added to the list a daily plan for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. I was surprised at how much more time it took - though I really enjoy menu planning and since the morning sickness is significantly less, I can actually look at most foods without gagging now. I don't think it'll take as much time from here on out, now that I have a basis. I'd like to start sharing the menus I've planned here on our blog as both a way for others to possibly find suggestions for their own meals, as well as for a way to keep track myself of what we have from week to week.
Last week's menu worked out pretty well . . . so here is the one we'll be following this week:
Breakfast: Cereal and toast x2
Baked Oatmeal x2
Banana muffins
Cinnamon Rolls and sausage links
Lunch: Egg salad sandwiches
BBQ pork, leftover veggies
lettuce salads
Leftovers x2
Supper: Pork roast, potatoes & carrots, Rhodes rolls
Crispy SW Chicken Wraps
Fried potatoes, eggs, pancakes or waffles
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Dinner w/my parents
Snacks: Banana muffins
Fruit cups (more on these in a later post!)
Pretzels
Popcorn
Steel Cut Oat Cups
I'm pretty excited about what we have on the menu this week. If you have any suggestions for meals you think we'd enjoy, please let me know. I'm always searching for new things to try!
One of the things she always does is to make a meal plan for each week. This is something I too have done for quite some time. I have been pretty proud of myself for the small amount of money we've been able to spend every two weeks . . . and yet, I've been too proud to admit that we never have enough food. "It's not possible," I'd argue with David everytime he mentioned it, "I plan every single week, every single ingredient."
And then it dawned on me. I make a bi-weekly supper plan. I did finally get into the habit of buying a few things for David's lunches, but I completely neglected to plan for this pregnant lady and her two toddlers that are home all day eating a whole lot more than just suppers!
So last week, I changed my habit. I added to the list a daily plan for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. I was surprised at how much more time it took - though I really enjoy menu planning and since the morning sickness is significantly less, I can actually look at most foods without gagging now. I don't think it'll take as much time from here on out, now that I have a basis. I'd like to start sharing the menus I've planned here on our blog as both a way for others to possibly find suggestions for their own meals, as well as for a way to keep track myself of what we have from week to week.
Last week's menu worked out pretty well . . . so here is the one we'll be following this week:
Breakfast: Cereal and toast x2
Baked Oatmeal x2
Banana muffins
Cinnamon Rolls and sausage links
Lunch: Egg salad sandwiches
BBQ pork, leftover veggies
lettuce salads
Leftovers x2
Supper: Pork roast, potatoes & carrots, Rhodes rolls
Crispy SW Chicken Wraps
Fried potatoes, eggs, pancakes or waffles
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Dinner w/my parents
Snacks: Banana muffins
Fruit cups (more on these in a later post!)
Pretzels
Popcorn
Steel Cut Oat Cups
I'm pretty excited about what we have on the menu this week. If you have any suggestions for meals you think we'd enjoy, please let me know. I'm always searching for new things to try!
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