Saturday, February 5, 2011

We're almost 37 weeks along in this picture :)

Today I put myself on bedrest for one day. I have been having too many braxon hicks contractions for my comfort level on top of feeling crampy these past few days and decided to take it easy.  I am extremely thankful to be at the liberty to make these calls! 

The other day was spent working on the nursery.  I was hanging paper ball lanterns from the step stool and realized if Darren were to walk in he'd probably not be pleased! I'm sure it was a funny site to see..but I was determined to hang those. I blame all the HGTV i've been watching... ;)
I painted the letters and tied ribbons to them so I could hang them as well.  It was a fun project and turned out really cute! I also hung two shelves and put up a couple cute pieces.  I'll post pictures soon! Even though a photograph doesn't do justice to how it looks in person.

My insights into motherhood...

I try hard not to take for granted the path God has led me to walk down.  I'm blessed to have a husband that loves me, close relationships with my immediate and extended family, a home to live in that's comfortable, always a meal to eat, and security in Christ.
I have been given a special assignment from God with Garrett and one He gives to all parents. 'To raise children who have a heart for Him'. It sounds simple but having to  demonstrate a heart for God ourselves, being a consistent example of God, dealing with the tantrums of young child, and working through difficult 'phases' our children have...well it's not that easy.  But i've noticed in my own life God also provides the strength and grace to accomplish what he asks of us when we come to Him.  I realize that I can't go at this job alone, I need Jesus. 
I think it's safe to say we all want the best for our children.  To some that is that they'd find success through becoming the star athlete, or top of their class, or to attend college and earn a degree.  Not that these things are bad but they aren't what I pray for in my son's future...I pray that he loves God with all his heart.  I can't wait to find out the ways God blessed this little guy and to encourage the things he loves to do as well.
But first and foremost It is my role as a mother to teach Garrett about the Lord and be an example to him of a mother who has a heart for the Lord.  
I am blessed to have a husband who will stand alongside of me and be an example to his son as a man that loves God.  For Garrett to have two parents that love God, each other, and him is a great start to his life already! 
Disciplining our son won't be fun. There's going to come a day that he loses that innocence of a child and he'll need to be corrected.  Being consistent with discipline won't always be easy.  God's word says "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

I was raised by two people who loved God and each other very much.  They were an example of godly parents.  They were each consistent in punishing or handling tantrums. My mom stayed at home and my father worked.  It was important to my parents to have my mother stay at home because we kids needed her.  I am thankful that my mom was around and I realize that meant sacrifices with how much money was around but we were given an incredible childhood.  My parents were a team in raising us kids and they did a great job! 
I had a fear and respect for my father as a young girl (still do!).  When he said no it meant no, and we didn't talk back to him. I may have only been spanked a couple times by him but he made it known he was the parent and we were the children.  He didn't have to scream and yell around to gain our respect.  It was through his love that he gained that.  It came as a shock when I came in contact with children who ran the show in a home.  It's incredible how often that happens and I am puzzled with how our world became so backwards.  But at any rate that was not the case in the home I grew up in. My parents were in charge and we were to listen...they remained there...throughout highschool my mom stayed home and having her around held us accountable.  I didn't get into trouble because my parents were aware of what we were doing and put their foot down to us because they loved us.  Saying no is okay.
We attended church and the awana program wed. nights.  I loved God from a young age and was a happy girl! My mother had her hands full with five kids and we didn't make life easy for her.  But oh how I loved my mom and would miss her like crazy when I went away to a camp.  She taught me to love God with her example of Christ...she even sat with me after I accepted Christ to talk with me about it.  I was raised with strong morals and a faith in Christ and it has not left me. It is very neat to see things come full circle as I prepare to raise a son with my husband.  We will mess up and make mistakes but I hope Garrett is able to see the grace in our home for each other.  I am looking forward to the amount of time spent in prayer as a young mother.  There will be tears shed, sleepless nights, scary moments with a sick child, but I know that God has been preparing my heart for this very adventure.
My parents believed in me.  Even as I stumbled through highschool, went to college here and there, they reminded me of the most important thing about me, that I loved God.  I didn't want to have a career and never had much of a desire after highschool to attain a degree.  It was my hearts desire to be a wife and a mother and to know more about God.  I wanted to attend a bible college just to study God's word more,  and I grew up wanting to be a missionary or pastor's wife.  I want to have as much faith in my son as my parents had in me.  Even when in the worlds eyes I wasn't following the right path.
God created those desires in me and my parents loved me through the uncertain times.  I met Darren in the most unusual way and I know God had him planned for me.  I was married at the age of 19! BUT i'm so glad we did.  Now we are in the navy which is a huge missions field in itself and we're called to love those God places in our lives...and to top it off we're being blessed with a baby boy. :) God took us through hard times and we are able to be a testimony to other couples going through hard times.  My life wouldn't be marked by this world as successful but I have been given endless blessings and I wouldn't want to trade this life for anything.

To wrap this up..i'll share with you a piece of my night :)...




This is what studying your bible looks like at 37 weeks pregnant :).  I'm pretty sure the words I read tonight tasted sweeter to my soul than any candy but it was fun to snack on while reading about how God is sovereign.
Have a wonderful weekend!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Hey!
I woke up this morning and peeked my sleepy eyes at the damage...I would have taken a picture but who really wants to see Laura's mountain of snotty Kleenex on her nightstand? NOT ME!

Since Saturday morning I've been sick with a cold and just when I thought this had to be the end of it, I've been hit hard with another round of a fever! I've taken Tylenol but that doesn't seem to cure this sick girl.  Garrett doesn't like the coughing that much and will kick me in the side if I start coughing too much..I kid you not! All I can do is laugh when that's happened.
Today I went to the doctor for a regular appointment and they couldn't find my chart. We went through all the fun questions and finally straightened out the details...I hope! They couldn't believe I was 36 weeks and the nurse was laughing as she told me she thought I wasn't that far along because I looked so tiny. With that comment she redeemed herself! :) but..
 I'm not sure how you can lose a chart and that's the last thing a pregnant woman wants to hear a few weeks before she's scheduled to have a baby.  I'm thankful for friendly nurses and doctors though, that's been an answer to prayer.  Everything looks good this week between the baby and I and i'm thankful for that as well! 
I haven't been sleeping well the past few nights with being sick so last night I got up around midnight and put the bedding on the crib and put together his cute mobile. I'll have to post pictures soon but i'll probably wait until It's all finished.  I decided to start packing his diaper bag for the hospital and as I pulled out socks and a few outfits I thought about how close we are to meeting our little man!
It's funny how i've sort of gone into a panic mode with realizing we don't have everything ready.  I was getting a pair of socks for his bag and noticed he doesn't have enough, and then I looked up and saw we still need a cover for the changing pad, and the car seat doesn't have an infant insert to keep their head from shaking around.  I then remembered that we still have to put the carseat bases in the cars, and the nursery isn't finished...oh yeah I was freaking out a little.  I've never wanted life to be so perfect for someone else.  I'm going to be a mom...wow I can't believe it!
The other night I saw a 9 month old little boy and he was so cute as I held him but I had the strangest fear for having my own child.  Thoughts of, 'am I going to be good enough?' or 'How in the world am I going to be a mom, I don't know how to fully take care of a baby'.  As my husband says, 'You're just a worrier'. :) He keeps me grounded and God blessed me with a spouse who balances me out perfectly. 
I know even though I don't deserve God's grace and mercy that as He offers it i'm humbled and grateful to be able to trust He'll be along with us for this journey.  I love Garrett so much already and again, haven't ever wanted life to be so perfect for anyone like I do for him.  I can't wait to kiss his cheeks and let him know I will do my best to take care of him for as long as God allows me.  I just want him to understand how loved he is by his mom.
 
This morning I woke up around 5:30 because I couldn't sleep with the sneezing, coughing, and heartburn mixture so I made myself a hot cup of tea and settled at the kitchen table to work on the lesson from our Sunday school class.  I sat there thinking about how thankful I am for my new friends and this church we've been going to.  It's been nice to be a part of a church family and to be making friendships.
Last Friday night a group of navy wives got together for dinner and it was a great time. One of them is my friend Kate who is also pregnant with her first (a boy too!) and we had a great time. It's neat to come together with other navy wives and talk about the navy and what's going on in our lives..how we're dealing with our men being gone and be an encouragement to each other.  Tomorrow i'm going to see my friend Kate and I'm looking forward to hanging out again. I can't wait for her to have her son, but as her husband is gone I was wondering if you could pray for her that God would surround her with family and friends and his love during these months her husband is gone.  It breaks my heart that he can't be there for the birth or the beginning of his baby boy's life. 

Well I'm sorry this post is all over the place but I guess that's how i've been feeling lately! :) I hope during this cold season you have dodged the bullet and are in good health.  BUT if you do happen to have it please take some medicine for the both of us! Can't wait to feel normal again :) 

OH! and guess what?? My mom is coming in less than two weeks!!! I can't wait :) I miss her so much. 
Laura