One of these days I will get back to posting.

Learning

Things I never thought about doing/knew I could do while holding a baby:

- Make a pot of coffee

- Run a load of laundry/dishes (I can’t wash dishes one-handed yet, but I’m sure that’s coming)

- Cook (this gets awkward and I usually try to get someone to be my other hand but it is possible on some things!)

- Perform in a crowd of thousands of people (alongside my husband who was dressed as a tree)

- Carry an armload of books (here’s a hint: if you’re going to a book sale take a stroller)

- Use the restroom (yes he was in a sling at the time and no I do not plan to try this again but I now know it’s possible!)

I’m sure other things will come up. I am constantly amazed at the things my son is teaching me. Soon I’ll be learning how much mess a child can make in one sitting!

I want to be learning everyday! Someone once said that when you stop learning you’re dead – and I’m not gonna plan on being dead till it happens! Today God reminds me that His mercies are new every morning.  The old has passed away; behold the new has come. I want to learn from each day as it comes, then let it pass away behind me as I move forward. The mistakes, the wrong attitudes, the failures of yesterday are no more – they are washed away by His grace and He has given me a bright new day to try again!

What else might I learn today if I look for it?

Birthday

I am 28 today. Goodness. Not sure what to think about that yet, except realize that time is flying by like nobody's business. I am going to post a list of things I would like to accomplish by the time I turn 30. I stole borrowed adapted got this idea from a friend of mine. You can find her blog at http://badmommydiary.blogspot.com/

30 by 30

1.       Read 20 new books (not including children’s books which I can easily go through 5 at a time)

2.       Read 10 classics (I’ve realized how many of these I own compared to how many I’ve read and it’s rather embarrassing)

3.       Finish organizing old photographs into albums or scrapbooks

4.       Get rid of all those shirts that I keep saying I might wear someday but never do

5.       Learn to follow a sewing pattern

6.       Learn to walk on 5’ peg stilts

7.       Try 50 new recipes (this so far is going better than I thought it would, but I don’t know how that’s going to change when I have a toddler)

8.       Design and create my own costume

9.       Learn to crochet

10.   Direct Godspell

11.   Perform in another stage show

12.   Take a dance class

13.   Learn 3 swing dance aerials to do with my husband

14.   Simplify my life by getting rid of STUFF– I’m not sure yet what measureable to put on this to know whether or not I have succeeded

15.   Take walks at least 3 times a week – not sure how I’m going to do this in the winter time, maybe become a mall walker mom during the cold months?

16.   Set up a will/custody documents for J should anything happen to me and the hubby

17.   Spend time at least once a week with a friend

18.   Maintain an active prayer journal

19.   Lead a Bible study

20.   Read through the Bible completely (haven’t done this since Bible college and it needs to happen again)

21.   Buy a house (yeah, I’m not totally optimistic about this one, but I can try)

22.   Memorize 30 Bible verses

23.   Memorize 3 sonnets

24.   Get to know the ladies at my church better (ie: be more sociable)

25.   Clean out the garage enough to consider getting a deep freeze

26.   Consistently maintain an active blog

27.   Stick with cloth diapering

28.   Teach a sign language class

29.   Travel to a state I’ve never been

30.    Feel organized – if only briefly

 What are your goals for the next 2 years?

A picture is worth...

Ah, the things a picture can say. Beauty, sorrow, love, power, cuteness - all can be expressed so concisely by a single photo. Here is my picture of adorableness for the morning:

Thing is, pictures can lie. My son looks like he's sleeping and content and everything is well in his laundry world. In fact he was rather ticked that I stuck him in there so I could bring the laundry in without leaving him on the floor of the garage.

I love pictures.

Preferences

My father-in-law came to visit us this weekend. It was his first time to see J since the hospital (and there he only got to see him at a distance through glass). He likes being a grandpa :) His wife also came down, and I feel better about her now. I have discovered something during the 3 months since my son was born: I like people who like my son. Those who coo over how sweet he is, those who talk to him, those who beg to hold him - they all, somehow or other, seem to end up on my good list. It is a response that is not solely connected to my son, for I find that when someone likes someone I love or appreciates what they do it seems natural that I warm towards that person. On the flip side I need to be careful because I get very defensive of those I love which, although right and good, needs to be tempered with kindness for that poor individual who needs his or her preferences altered.

Last night I dreamed about pie. I dreamed a lot of other things of course, but the one that has overwhelmingly stuck with me this morning is the blueberry pie I bought but never got to eat. I even bought blueberry turnovers at the same time I bought the pie because I was craving blueberries that much. But yeah, woke up without being able to properly indulge. *sigh*

Currently I'm watching J examine his binky and try to pick up a rattle in the same, full, hand. Also, indulging in coffee because I don't have any pie. And praying that our fridge gets fixed before food starts going bad.

I've started reading a book about anxiety. I really enjoy the author, John MacArthur, because he is practical and full of scripture. I'll be letting you know how it goes, but for now I need to quit rambling. Will I do anything productive? Perhaps.

Perhaps I'll just play with my son.

Time

Clocks everywhere. On the oven, in the car, on the wall, on our phones. We pay so much attention to what time it is, we tend to forget to pay attention to how we use that time.
My husband and I are going out tonight. If only for a quick drink, we need to spend some time together. If we don't spend time on our relationships, how can they grow?
I tend to waste time. I spend it like there will always be a tomorrow. But there won't always be a tomorrow. My baby won't always cuddle with me. My sister won't always be available to chat. I won't always have the ability to hold a guitar or a camera or a broom.
This post is getting deeper and poking me rather more than I anticipated. I'm sorry, I don't mean to be a downer or anything. Let's look at things another way:
Time is a gift. The years, the days, the minutes we have should be treated like something precious.
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." Eph 5:15-16
Let us enjoy the time that we have, helping people and serving as we should. Rather than make hay, let us do good while the sun shines :)

Something new

My son is starting to discover that he can hold things with his hands. But he's very suspicious because he doesn't quite understand what this means: