Men...

Eric was helping me out since I had my hands full. I sat down in the arm chair with Micah wrapped up in his favorite blanket. He was overtired and just sobbing so pitifully. As soon as he settled in to nurse, he was half asleep already, and Eric moved around the room, switching off all the lights.

"Could you lower the crib rail for me, too?" I can't reach the mattress with it raised, not when I'm holding my little guy to my chest to keep him warm during the "transfer." I instantly realized Eric had never done this, and I wondered how long it would take him to figure it out. He fidgeted with the top, finally just pushed on it and it lowered.

"It says 'PUSH' right there on the bottom in huge letters."

Glancing at the rail again, he said, "I don't read instructions."

"Even when it's just ONE WORD?"

"Yeah?"

Oh my goodness.... [needless to say, I laughed pretty hard at that one.]

Look at this cutie: I crocheted an adorable little Santa hat. It's for sale! I'm going to add it to my Etsy store.

The little guy got his first taste of snow today, too... literally!

Love and Gratitude

This post is about how much I love (LOVE!!) my husband. I would say something really poignant about how our love "withstands the fire and trials of life" to go with the above picture, but then you would hear me laughing across the expanse of the internet. Not that it isn't true...

Eric and I are certainly not the only people holding on for dear life during this economical death wave the news is calling a recession. You know, the one which is supposedly over? Yesterday I saw a man driving down our street in a white van with our city's logo plastered on the side. He parked across the street to slip a red notice over the neighbor's door handle. I'm assuming that means we are not the only ones struggling to pay our water bill (among others). I paid mine online yesterday morning, otherwise that might have been our door he tagged. It was probably just a scary threat... "YOU'LL NEVER HAVE RUNNING WATER AGAIN if you don't pay the $18.53 that is 30 DAYS delinquent." That pretty much sums up the attitude my city has towards its residents.

Despite the drama of bill collectors and the tears we've shed over not being able to eat at the Chinese Buffet anymore, our money "problems" have only united us. A lot of couples end up fighting, but some how we've managed to learn how to laugh at our situation. We also share a perspective in that we recognize that we have led privileged lives, and the luxuries we've been forced to give up have never been a reality for many.

Most of the credit goes to Eric. He is the calm one.  In the five years that I have known him, he's lost his temper maybe one time and even then it paled in comparison to my past explosions. He's also very level headed and always has the perfect words to immediately extinguish any panic or frustration on my part. God created hot springs, sunsets, soft breezes, and crackling fires... and then he created Eric.

On top of that, he adores our baby, and everyone knows that while a way to a man's heart is through his stomach, the way to a woman's heart is through her children. When he comes home for lunch, Micah lights up and can't take his eyes off of him, and neither can I. He swoops Micah up to play airplane and the little guy can't stop grinning from ear to ear. In a few years, they'll be inseparable; there's no doubt in my mind.

As Thanksgiving approaches, I want to take time to really consider how the Lord has blessed me and sincerely thank Him for everything. By far, one of the biggest gifts in my life is Eric. Not only is he the love of my life, but God has used him to mold me and teach me over the years. He has helped me to become more disciplined and more patient. Through our marriage, God has blessed us with an adorable son, who steals my heart every morning when he greets me with smiles and squeals of delight. I have found a life-long friend in my husband; a person who I can count on and love for the long haul. Even though we are broke (for now), we have the Lord, our health and our family, and that carries much more value than all the money in the bank.

Let the Baby Proofing Begin

Over the past few days, my little man has started lifting himself up off the floor and scooting backwards. I'm sure it won't be too long before he finally figures out how to go forward and then we'll all be chasing after him. He already knows how to open cupboard doors and drawers. We're in trouble!



Today he did something that just cracked me up. He was sitting by the window and he squashed a fly with his thumb. You know it's getting cold outside when the flies are moving around so slow that a baby can kill one with his bare hands! Way to go Micah! I think he was trying to pick it up. I'm sure he would have tried to eat it, too, if he was able. Gross!

Today has been really difficult for me. I have been battling this head cold, and today it reached the peak of intensity. My face was throbbing from sinus pressure and all I wanted to do was sleep, but guess what.... mommies don't get a day off! Fortunately, a Motrin made the sinus pressure bearable. I have a lot of catching up to do now with my Pregnancy blog and laundry, now that I'm coming out of my coma. I really hate colds. I haven't had one in over a year. Yuck!

My husband really helped me out today, though. He did the grocery shopping for me!! Wow, he did a great job, too! He got everything we needed  (for the rest of the month, probably) and a little extra for about $105. Hmm... maybe he should do the shopping all the time. He is really good at finding deals!

I need to add more movies to my Netflix cue. Any suggestions?

How Personal is Too Personal on the Internet?

I try to keep things on the DL when it comes to blogging. I want to remain somewhat anonymous while still sharing my life on a meaningful level. I don't share (anymore) my location, last name or diatribes on my latest marital argument, health issues, etc. It's not so much that I'm worried about what happen (though things do happen), but there is so much information* on the internet already. Do I really need to add more? I only want to add things that have value. How is posting my hernia surgery on Facebook valuable, for example. (Yes, I did see this recently. And no, it was not me. Ha! Ha! And yes, it was quite gross!)

For those of you that are just tuning in, I blog for a site called Families.com. If you have not visited the site before, please do so now! It's a great site with tons of valuable advice and community centered around family life. I write about pregnancy. It's a fun topic since 1) I have been pregnant before, 2) I loved being pregnant, and 3) I plan on being pregnant many times in the future. (I'm not sure how many children "many" entails - we'll see what God has planned for us!)

Recently I blogged about an interesting story I picked up about a woman named Lynsee who is going to broadcast the birth of her first child, LIVE, on the internet. You can read my blog on the topic here.

The more I think about it, the more it makes me think. Where are the boundaries? Sharing a pregnancy or a birth story is a wonderful thing, but when you bring the whole world into the delivery room, you lose your ability to filter out what you don't want to share. People always feel like they're entitled to the whole story, but guess what, when it comes to a person's personal experience, they are not! Even if that person is a celebrity. You should censor your Twitter, your Facebook, your blog... whatever it might be. Don't be the poster girl/boy for "TMI."

Another thing to consider is what I'll call "familiar privilege." I will define it as the unique privilege of those closest to us to share our most intimate experiences. If we keep a small circle and choose to share our private life within that circle, we experience strong community and tight friendship. The larger our circle, however, the less special our experiences become. It's inevitable. The knowledge of our experiences and the intimacy of sharing them with our community becomes cheapened. Secrets are more precious than public knowledge. To overcome this, we must either limit our circle, or limit what we share with our larger circle.

My challenge to everyone is not to completely remove ourselves from the socialsphere of the internet, but to practice safe and respectful censorship of what we publish, broadcast, blog or tweet. Let's consider the value of what we're adding to the internet. Let's treasure our most personal experiences and perhaps reserve those for the ones closest to us.

By all means, share the story of the birth of your child; but let there be secrets, known only by those who were present. Let the sound of those first cries only be known by you and your husband; a joyous and private moment between the two of you, the moment you became parents. Let your husband have that exhilarating moment all to himself; when he first embraces his wife and his new child. Let his first words to his son or daughter be heard only by you and you alone. Let these things remain sacred between you.


*useless

Creative Play

I've gotten bored of the same baby toys and games, day in and day out. Today I was on a mission to do something "new" with Micah. I pulled out a cookie sheet and filled it with just enough warm water to cover the bottom. Then I laid that on top of a beach towel on the kitchen floor. I put a handful of bath toys on the cookie sheet and let him loose! It was so funny to watch him spend the first ten minutes staring into the water. He would place his hands in the water for a few moments and then take them back out. Periodically he would lower his face to a few inches above the water and stare at the reflection of the kitchen lights. The ripples in the water caused by moving toys around really caught his attention. We played for quite a while! He didn't even make that much of a mess, either!

What are some creative games you've played with your babies? I'm looking for more ideas!

Another Season

In my last post I mentioned that Micah had no teeth yet. I spoke too soon! Saturday afternoon, I noticed that my fussy little boy had a "split" gum - and in that little opening was a tiny tooth coming through! This morning he was in much better spirits; the hardest part is over. Today I could feel the sharp little point with my finger. Pretty soon it will be big enough for me to take a photo. I can't believe it's happening already! People always tell you how fast children grow, but you never realize how true this is until they sprout right before your eyes.

The temperature around here is dropping fast. I pulled out Micah's snowsuit and we wore it to church this morning. I discovered that he loves it, and it is a surefire way to get him to doze off. He is so snuggly in that thing! We went to a harvest party last night and our little guy didn't end up going to bed until 10pm or so. As a result he was very tired today, and ended up passing out for over three hours this afternoon. For a little boy who usually sleeps 30-40 minutes at a time, this was shocking! I didn't know what to do with myself during that time. I ended up reading an entire magazine while waiting for him to wake up. My house was already clean so basically I had nothing to do but lounge and wait for him to wake up. I guess I can't complain about that!

Our family is going through some big changes right now. We are hoping to move 30-45 minutes north of where we are currently, but the housing market may prevent that. I want to live closer to our parents now that we have a son. He needs to be close to his grandparents! We have also been hit pretty hard by the recession. The increased cost of living combined with me working only part time from home has made things financially tricky. Moving would mean lower expenses, as well, so I'm hoping that works out. But, I know that God has everything under control and he might have something better in mind for us, so I'm keeping an open mind. In the meantime, having our house listed means it has to be spotless 24/7. This is perfect for me - it will force me to make keeping my house clean a habit, something I've been wanting to do for a while. I'm tired of cleaning in spurts and then letting things get messy again. I have found that it's much easier to maintain a spotless house than a "ruffled" one.

I am really looking forward to November. Not only is Thanksgiving in November (my favorite holiday), but my birthday is in November as well. It's not the same as it was when I was a kid, but it's a fun excuse to get together with my family, eat my favorite dinner and indulge in birthday cake.

Face of His Father

So this afternoon I was taking pictures of my little man and he was really hamming it up for the camera.

He is really cute. I'm not just saying that because I'm his mama. I know from the very core of my left brain that he is extremely cute. My right brain practically seizes every time he smiles from cute overload.

All of a sudden he whips out this face of shock or horror. I have no idea what was going on in that mind of his, but it exploded all over his face, I happened to catch it on camera, and I proceeded to laugh uncontrollably until moments later when Eric walked in. Of course, upon seeing the photo, he reenacted the face.

This only proves how much our little man looks like Eric. It's amazing. And of course that face makes me laugh just as much when Eric does it.

I captured another "look-alike" moment while Eric ate a bagel and Micah ate a.... binkie. Yeah. I promise you; this was not posed!

One Year Ago

One year ago, I was expecting! It's hard to believe that I am a mother now - and that my baby is six months old already! I can't believe how much I love him. I always knew I would love my children, but I never anticipated that my heart would break every time I picked him up or looked at his sweet little face. I'm so full of joy.

The Peach Fiasco

Part of me is excited to start giving my son solid foods (he'll be six months old on Tuesday) and the other part of me hesitates because it means a lot more food prep, a lot more laundry, and a lot more time in general. Up until now, feeding him has been so easy and convenient. No warming up bottles, no pureeing vegetables, no bibs, not post-lunch bath, no nothing!

We Are Not Immune

This past week was an adventure, to say the least. We're pretty sure my husband contracted the swine flu (don't worry, he's recovered now.) When he went to the doctor they gave him a face mask, told him to stay home and said there was basically nothing else they could do for him. They didn't even give him a blood test to confirm because so many people were coming into the clinic with the same symptoms.

My baby seemed to have a cold for a day or two. I was worried he had caught something from Eric, but all he had was a clear runny nose. It disappeared and he never seemed to notice. He was still as playful and happy as ever!

I came down with something, but I'm not sure if it's a milder version of what Eric got or something completely different. Needless to say, we've been going through antibacterial stuff like crazy and on Sunday afternoon we disinfected the entire house. I am beginning to feel better. Mostly I'm just exhausted considering our dear little one woke up every hour, on the hour, last night. Not sure what THAT was all about, but considering he has been asleep now for three hours, I'm assuming it's not going to be a repeat night tonight.

The moral of the story is... the swine flu is not as sensational as I suspected; a lot of people are getting it. But, it's also not as bad as the media would like you to think. As the doctor told Eric, for most people, it's a mild illness.

The First of Many

We found the cutest park near our neighborhood. With brand new equipment and plenty of space to play, I foresee many trips there in the future. Micah was mostly interested in grabbing at the various surfaces. He didn't think much of the swings or slides. We'll be back next summer, for sure. By then we won't be able to get him off the swing or coax him from the slide. Playgrounds are just too much fun! I can't wait!

Being a Parent Hurts Sometimes

While my roast beef, Swiss and horsey sauce sandwich browns in the toaster oven, the timer's steady ticking provides the background music to my somber thoughts.

(I fully intended that to be over-dramatic.)

I realized today that my parents probably didn't enjoy disappointing me. They really did have my best interests at heart when they said no. They did not enjoy seeing me cry about it. No, this is not the first time I have realized this fact, but it is the first time I have really understood it from their end.

My son is evolving before my eyes and I have noticed a subtle shift in his behavior. No longer just an infant, he's displaying wants as well as needs. For example, he was eating my mother-in-law's hair the other day... had a huge clump of it in his mouth. When we took it out of his mouth he tried to grab it again. When she pulled her hair back where he couldn't reach it, he screamed in protest. He threw a fit because we wouldn't let him chew on grandma's hair. Babies need to eat. Babies need to sleep. Babies need their diapers changed. I'm sorry, but babies do not need to suck on hair as opposed to their pacifiers, which clipped on their shirts, are more than available for all their sucking and chewing needs.

This was the context in which I decided it was time to begin sleep training my son.

(Oh my gosh, this horsey sauce is burning a hole through my nose and opening up the floodgates behind my tear ducts!)

The same changes in his little brain that allow him to prefer hair to a pacifier and pitch a fit about it, also allow him to choose to stay awake when he needs to sleep. Over the past few weeks, he has repeatedly made this choice, and he has gotten more and more tired to the point of screaming for no reason. It has become a battle of wills. Parents versus Baby. Play versus Sleep.

Last night I finally gave in to the nagging voice that kept tell me to "be the parent and make him go to bed when he needs to, not when he wants to." I was fully prepared to hear his cries for hours. Except... he only cried for 15 minutes, maybe 20. Tonight he only cried for 18 minutes exactly. He slept. And slept. And slept. If's he's sleeping, he must really need to sleep, which means he hasn't been getting the sleep he needs for several weeks now. No wonder he had such a short little temper - he was always tired like me. Now I'm slapping myself for not recognizing this sooner.

I still don't like hearing him cry, and he protests for a lot longer during the day when I try to get him down for a nap. I think he's just not used to sleeping in his crib during the day and that is what needs to change. I want him to associate his crib with sleeping to the point that just looking at his bed makes him think, "Hmm, I'm kind of tired, I think I'll take a nap."

We'll see about that....

The Baby Whisperer

In my family, we refer to Barry White as the "baby whisperer." It started in the car on the way to a friend's house. My baby was really tired, but was too fussy to fall asleep. The radio was all commercials and silence was unbearable with a screaming baby in the backseat. Shuffling through the glove compartment, I came across a CD I had completely forgotten about. Barry White's Greatest Hits. No sooner did the word "baby" slip out of the car's speakers in Barry's signature velvety deep voice, when my pumpkin promptly fell asleep without an ounce of protest.

Don't ask me why I had Barry White sitting in my glove compartment; I'll never tell. And don't ask me why Barry White is so good at putting babies to sleep; I'll never understand it myself. Ever since that day, Barry White has been our go-to-guy when our little man is fussy. Barry never fails us. His CD is always packed when we're planning a long car trip. In a pinch, we'll create a "Barry White" station on Pandora. Our favorite lyric repeats something we find ourselves saying all the time as new parents:

"Baby, sweet baby... what am I going to do with you?"

The only problem we have with Barry White is the nature of his music. Barry White is great for babies. I believe there are a lot of babies out there who wouldn't be here today if it weren't for Barry White. I'm just not sure I want my little boy singing about how those babies got here, if you catch my drift. I wish he sang about horses, angels, lambs and twinkling stars. If he had put out a lullaby album during his lifetime, I bet it would have made it onto every pregnant woman's registry.

I'll keep turning to Barry when my baby's got the blues, but in the meantime I'll be looking for a replacement. Any suggestions?

Unconventional

Everyone knows that when a baby falls asleep, you should put him in his crib and either take a nap yourself or do one of the other million things on your list... but I often don't.

I don't know how many more chances I will have to look down and gaze at this tiny face in my arms. I might blink and realize he is fifteen and too big or too cool to fall asleep in my lap. If I don't listen, I might forget what it sounds like to hear these tiny puffs of breath, breath that smells something like sugar or hazelnut. It's no wonder they've named a flower after it. How is it that babies smell so good?

If I lay him in his crib, I would miss the occasional happy sigh, the sleepy smile that flickers across his peaceful face as he dreams (of what, I wonder?). I wouldn't feel his tiny fingers search for a fold of my shirt or my thumb to grasp. I might not catch that first waking glimpse or the grin that follows when he realizes I'm still there.

So even though there are dishes to wash and laundry to fold, I hold my child instead, watching him sleep, whispering a prayer of gratitude.

Thank you, Lord, for this child, this blessing.
Keep him safe and show me how to raise him.
Let him always know how much he is loved.

Enjoying the Journey

This week I blogged about the importance of "Daddy Time" on the Families Baby blog. My inspiration came from my husband and my son playing in the next room...

My husband will be the first to tell you that playing with his little man is no small task. Thinking of silly ways to entertain our four-month-old comes much easier to me. I can move quickly from one trick to the next, while my husband struggles to keep up with Micah's 5 minute attention span. "I can't wait for him to get older" is his mantra. He wants him to be able to say what he wants instead of cry. He also wants him to be able to move around on his own. Women cringe at this sentiment, knowing how quickly babies grow into the next stage, which has its own difficulties, but I understand his frustration. I felt the same way when we were dating. (I can't wait to get married - I'm tired of driving home every night!!) There are just certain stages in life that we can't wait to finish - college, looking for a spouse, planning a wedding - and it's hard to enjoy them, even if there are plenty of things to appreciate about each stage. We begin to focus on certain goals so much that we start to resent the journey. Before we know it, our goal is achieved and a fragment of history, and what is left? Did we waste all that time waiting for the next big thing and miss out on all the fun in between?

God enjoys the journey. You can tell just by looking around at creation. He could have populated the earth with a bunch of full grown adults, but instead he created pregnancy, babies, children, and childhood. In fact nearly everything in creation starts out small and grows. There is a reason trees take decades to reach their full height. There is a reason he doesn't wave a magic wand when we begin a relationship with him and turn us into the perfect Christian. We reach full maturity in Christ when we enter the gates of heaven; until then we embark on a spiritual journey of epic proportions. He slowly molds us through life's experiences, His perfect wisdom (the Word) and the power of His Holy Spirit. I think we should take a cue from creation and savor every bite of life. Every breath is a gift from God, who is the giver of life itself. Every moment deserves our full gratitude and appreciation for everything we receive.

Whenever I'm tempted to wish any part of Micah's "babyhood" away, I try to focus on all the good aspects (he can't run away or talk back, for example) that are unique to this season. I am trying to share these with my husband as well. In the meantime, I enjoy watching Micah bore a soft spot into Eric's heart with all his cute little antics.

I'm a Better Mama When I'm a Better Daughter

While perusing blogs tonight, I found something that really struck a chord.

The Barefoot Mama: "It's important to identify what impedes you as a mom and then prayerfully and purposefully design ways to fulfill those needs and structure your time in the home in order to attain a balance for yourself"

I've just discovered Kelly's blog through comments and I must pause and say, "Lord, you really know how to introduce me to the right people at the right time."

For me, "those needs" are primarily spiritual - specifically time spent in prayer and studying God's word. I'm a much better mama when I'm a better daughter. Spending time with my heavenly father each morning sets the tone for the entire day. It determines whether I stick to my priorities, the measure of patience I have for life's everyday hangups, the peace in my heart, and the smile on my face. I don't want Micah to know a mommy who doesn't intimately know her Savior. I desperately want him to know a mommy who will teach him, through example, what it means to love and serve the Lord with all his heart and soul... to find strength in God alone.

Reading Kelly's blog cemented a decision I made yesterday to sacrifice that last hour of sleep in the morning. Micah's naps were becoming too unpredictable to count on them for quiet time. Quiet times fell by the wayside for a while because of this, and my heart suffered greatly. You can only go so long on your own strength before life's stresses begin to eat away at your peace and joy. Who on earth lives a life without some type of stress or ongoing problem? In a sin-plagued world: no one. We were never meant to live a solitary life - we were created to live in relationship to our creator. You can only talk on your cell for so long before you need to plug it in - and spiritually, we are all living on a very short battery life. Jesus said "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." Apart from Jesus, YOU CAN DO NOTHING. You may think you are doing all kinds of things, but is it fruitful? Is it meaningful?

For me, skipping my time with God each morning greatly impedes my success as both a mom and a wife. Sacrificing that hour of sleep in the morning not only gives me an opportunity to worship God with my obedience and devotion, but forces me to trust him to provide me with the energy to get through the day. I'm not going to lie, I don't think it's a coincidence that the rare opportunity to nap in the afternoon magically appears when I start the day off right. My little guy will decide the only place he wants to take his afternoon nap is right by his mama, and his tired little mama is only too happy to oblige.

A Visit from the Great Grandparents!

This week my dad's parents drove across the Midwest to visit and meet Micah for the first time. I have to admit I was a little worried in the weeks leading up to their visit. You see, up until about a week ago, Micah was pitching a fit whenever anyone would try to hold him... except for me. He would be fine for a few minutes, then suddenly his eyes would widen and his bottom lip would curl. Tears would brim and in seconds he would go from cooing to screaming at a volume that would likely burst your eardrum if you stood too close.

Then one day, Micah woke up and decided he was no longer a one woman man. Now he is a little charmer, talking and smiling at whoever carries him around... as long as they hold him the way he likes. I mentioned yesterday that it's "his way or the highway," well this especially applies to how he wants to be held. He used to enjoy snuggling with his head tucked into your neck or looking over your shoulder. Now he strongly prefers to be carried facing out with his legs dangling so he can see everything in front of him and wiggle at will.

He can still burst your eardrum if you happen to be nearby when he gets a wet diaper. If he is playing and happy, and then all of a sudden he starts screaming like someone pinched him, chances are he has just wet himself. It is during these moments of near hearing loss that I close my eyes and envision a potty seat sitting upon a golden throne with angels singing hallelujah in the background. I look forward to ditching the diapers for smiley stickers and m&ms and ninja turtle underwear. (Do they still make ninja turtle underwear?)

Anyway, back to the visit from the Great Grandparents... it was a joy to see my granny hold my son, play with him, and rock him to sleep. I am so blessed. Micah has gotten to meet all four of his Great Grandmothers and two of his Great Grandpas. I don't think I ever got to meet any of my great grandparents, even as an infant. Four generations gathered around the patio table to enjoy my dad's amazing beef tenderloin, seven layer salad, cheesy potato casserole, corn on the cob and Sprecher soda on Tuesday night. I really wish we all lived closer together. My Grandparents are heading back home tomorrow morning and it will likely be a very long time before we see them again. If my sister ends up moving in the fall as planned, we're really going to be spread out. We better make the most out of August and September!

Daddy-Son Bonding Time

Universal Man Law: Men bond on the couch.

Micah has discovered that the world is much more interesting when you're sitting up, and therefore throws a fit if you lay him on his back on the floor. He's fine in his Bumbo, fine if you put him on his tummy, but on his back? Oh no-no-no. He has been staring at the ceiling fan for four months now, you know, and he's had enough of that.

The easy solution, of course, has been to prop him up on the couch. He loves this view since he can watch all the action. Give him a few toys (or a blanket) to chew on and he's a happy camper. Big daddy Eric is happy, too, since he doesn't have to tote the little guy around on one arm all night.

Look at Eric, doesn't he look great? He's lost over fifteen pounds in the past month. Ladies, doesn't it frustrate you how quickly men can shed the weight? It's as though they merely think about weight loss and it happens. Eric has worked really hard, though; he has been eating a low carb diet and cutting out most of the junk food. He has been working out as well. He does this routine with a 45-pound weight that I can't even peel off the floor, and he tosses it around like a dinner plate. I'll settle for being able to carry a 15-pound baby for several hours.

Little Lips, Drool and Teeth

I love the view of my son's face when he's snuggled up against me sleeping. Once in a while, he does that little sucking motion that babies often do when they're dreaming of food. He's been extra cuddly today. I'm pretty sure he's teething. He's constantly trying to fit his entire fist in his mouth, drooling more than a Saint Bernard, crying at the drop of a hat, and fussing when he's trying to eat (unless I pat his bottom the entire time). His gums have been looking a little puffy as well. I'm sure glad I have all my teeth already. Cutting teeth doesn't look like very much fun!

Children Are a Blessing

I know that many of the topics that are discussed in Lies Women Believe are difficult. Also, some of the truths, out of context, can seem unreasonable. For example, in my recent post No Higher Calling, the assumption is that you are married with children. Clearly having a career is a noble pursuit if it does not mean neglecting your family. I do believe, however, that if you have chosen to have children, any job you hold should come second to raising those kids, no matter how much you enjoy your job.

I work at home as a writer, and I choose to complete my work while my son is asleep. I do this so my job does not interfere with raising my son. I have had offers to work outside of the home, or to work hours that would require getting childcare, but I have turned these opportunities down because I believe that I am the best parent for my little one. The best place for a young child is at home with one or both parents. They need our constant attention and guidance. Unfortunately, I recognize that I am in the minority when it comes to my views on raising kids. Most kids grow up outside the home these days.

Children are a blessing, not an inconvenience. In this society and many others today, children are seen as something to work around, delay, drop off, or avoid. Children should be embraced! They teach us lessons that cannot be learned anywhere else. They bless us in ways that no one else can. They will shape us into responsible, caring, humble people, if only we will allow them.

Last night's topic on children was particularly difficult for one woman who desired a family, but for reasons unknown to me, she and her husband were never able to bear children. Unfortunately the author of Lies Women Believe did not touch on this subject and I believe it led this woman to feel guilt for her loss. She ended up leaving before the end of the study. Children are indeed a blessing, but not all of us will have the opportunity to receive that blessing. Childless families should not be condemned for failing to have children; we do not always know the reasons behind the circumstances. Sometimes women are unable to conceive, and sometimes there are difficult health issues involved - it may be too dangerous or life threatening to conceive a child. God always chooses life. It is understandable for a woman to use non-abortive methods to avoid having children if her life is at stake.

Next week we are discussing women and their emotions... this should get interesting!!