Day 1... done

Well... Here it is: Back-to-School week. I realize that I went back to teaching last spring when baby boy was only 3 months old, but it is still hard to go back. I want more time. I want him to stay little longer. I want him to crawl, walk, talk, play, etc.; but more than that, I want him to stay little. I can't believe how fast our summer has gone. I've enjoyed my baby and the time we spent together. I am glad to have a job I enjoy and am glad to have care for our son that I am happy with. Even so, I want to see him when he first crawls. I want to hear him when he says his first word. I want to see his second, third, forth tooth come in. I want to wake him up from his afternoon nap and snuggle him. I want to lay on the floor and play with him during his silly morning time. I want to lay in bed longer each morning just so I can bring him into bed and laugh and play.

I know it's good for me to work. I know it's good for him to be in daycare. I just don't want this stage to end. I'm a sad momma today.. and probably tomorrow, too. Likely, I'll be sorta sad for the first few weeks.

Then it will get better.

On a positive note: I've already been praying for the students I get to work with this year. This year will be unlike any other. I know that there great potential to make a difference in the lives of these middle-schoolers. God has great plans... I can feel it!

Good-bye summer... Hello school year!

Sweet, sweet summertime

Sweet summertime, indeed. I can't believe how fast the past two months have flown by. And yet, we are always saying 'it goes too fast'. As I sit here in my recliner with sweet baby snoring sleeping away in my lap, I'm reminded of how beautiful this time is. I have so enjoyed my summer home with our little guy. I love my job and have a strong passion for education. However, after becoming a mother, my 'summers off' have found a sweet spot in my heart. I have treasured this time with Logan. We have done so many things together in the past few months that I wouldn't have had the opportunity to do had I been working full-time.

We have gone on countless walks. (Really, we do LOVE our stroller!!)
We have gone to the pool.
We have gone to the lake. (He loves the water.)
We have ridden bike.
We have gone on day trips to Willmar and Watertown.
We have gone to school.... these days are not as productive when he is with, but so much fun! :)
We visited the cousins.
We've gone to birthday parties.
We have worked in the garden.
We've gotten out and jogged. (Have I mentioned how much we love our stroller?)
We went to the Twins.
We have stayed with Uncle Jacob.
We have gone on boat/pontoon rides.
We have had bible study friends over.
We've visited the great-grandparents.

Here our some of the baby 'S'milestones that we've seen this summer:

First tooth (and the teething fun that comes with it)
Rolling EVERYwhere...
Getting up on knees (no crawling yet)
Trying new food (loving most things)
Using a sippy
Learning the idea of walking and practicing with mom and dads help
Moving into the 'big' tub for nightly baths
Learning to clap and play patty-cake


There are countless things that our baby is leaning/doing each day that melt our hearts. We absolutely love being parents and are so enjoying this ride of parenthood.

As I begin to prepare for fall, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on how good it's been this summer. I am excited for a routine again and know that fall will have it's great moments too; however, it breaks my heart a little each day that we get closer to the close of summer. I want to bottle this time up and keep it forever. Or at least be able to come back to this time whenever I want to again. I know that each stage will be fun and life must continue to circulate... but this time is sweet. Sweet, sweet summertime!!

Psalm 119:103

-How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey.-

http://shechive.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/sweet-summertime-27.jpg

Rain, rain, go away... I want to take my baby out to play!

Well I must confess, I do kind of like staying snuggled up and cozy on these chilly winter, I mean spring nights. We have been home each night, bathed, in comfy clothes and relaxing because our outdoor options are null. 

But... I am getting anxious for contined nice weather. I want to take Logan out in his stroller. I want to go for jogs. I want to put him in the swing. I want to walk with Jordan. All of these spring activities are put on hold. 

Tomorrow is one year from the date we found our we were expecting our baby. What a wonderful and exciting time it was for us last year. As I reflect on how much as changed in that year I'm reminded of how fatigue God has been to us. 

He will bless us with nice weather soon enough. For now, I'll snuggle Logan a little longer. I'll cuddle with Jordan a little more. I'll smile about the good rain sons moisture we are being blessed with.

Here's my rainy night plans...

Time oh time... where do you go?

Can it really be 4 months since my last post? Um... yup. The answer is yes, it can.

It seems silly to even come back to it really. Why would I? Why should I? Well mostly for you, mom (since you are the only one reading this). BUT... I guess also for me... and Loges. It is nice to have a sounding board to throw my thoughts and reflections out to. It is nice to have them captured somewhere. To be able to go back and remember the things I'm sure I won't forget. But then time slips away and I do forget... and if I don't blog I'll for sure let this first year pass by without many memories 'written' down. So here goes nothing everything from the past four months.

January: COLD... but oh so warm with cuddles and snuggles. Having Logan in the dead of one of our coldest winters yet was a blessing and a curse. We were stuck in because of the cold. :) And we were stuck in because of the cold. :(

I liked being able to be home with our new baby and learn about him. Learning about being a mom. Learning how my life was changed (and changing) was an awesome journey that first month. Sleep less, eat more... cook less, clean more... whine less, smile more. It was really an amazing month. Logan has been the BEST baby ever these first few months. He has been a great eater, sleeper, snuggler and he made becoming a mom one of the easiest things I've ever done. Really, who can say that about such a life-altering event? But he really has!!





February: COLD! We ventured out more in February for basketball games and town events. Although overly cautious (and protective) I didn't want others to get too close for fear that baby Logan would catch a bug, it was still fun to show him some of our town and get him out and about a little bit. Logan got so much more smiley/giggly and interactive this month. It was so amazing to have him look up at me and actually smile. Ahhh... my heart melts thinking of those first few smiles. My heart still leaps when he smiles at me. Such a sweet, sweet smile.

March: COLD!!! Logan was baptized in March. We celebrated bringing Logan to God's family on March 2nd with all of our family. What a blessing for us to see Logan with all four sets of his great-grandparents and both sets of his grandparents. God is so good! And back to work... This was a really good experience for me, also. I will not complain about being back to work. I love my job and our baby is in excellent care (my sisters' care). I am able to feed Logan at noon each day and be home with him every evening. Although difficult to leave him at first, it has been a good thing for us to be back in a 'normal' routine. Might I also mention that Logan has gotten active with his hands and feet. He loves to kick, play and find his hands (mostly in his month). Oh... and those smiles!!!!

April: One warm day!! :) But mostly, COLD! This month brought a few firsts with our parenting experiences. He had his first 'babysitters' when we went out for a family event. He was able to go to our old 'neck of the woods' when we visited the cities one weekend. I enjoyed showing him some of my favorites from the cities and we enjoyed our first overnight trip with a baby. This was an entirely new kind of exhausting. I fondly recall Jordan saying to me as we pulled into our driveway on Sunday afternoon... "Ok, I'm ready for the weekend to start now." Yup... we were tired! Baby boy rolled over for the first time this month and had a few times where he slept for good 7/8 hour stretches (not consistently). We had a few family outings with our new jogging stroller and spent some time with Logan in his new swing. Logan had his first Easter experience and I can't wait to hear all that he remembers about Easter next year when he can talk more! :)

Now we get ready to head into May... I know May will be busy. This time of year is always busy. Wrapping up the school year, preparing for summer, a family wedding, Jordan's new bootcamp class, small group bible study, wedding showers, Memorial weekend, graduations, ect. It will be busy, but awesome.

As I close tonight I can't help but smile as I listen to our sweet boy softly snoring in the bed beside me as I blog. There is no better feeling than closing a day with your baby and hubby in bed for cuddle time. I could do this forever!!! Again... God is SO good!

I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. --Psalm 69:30

Parents' Ten Commandments

Upon becoming a new mom, I have been given new mother devotionals and reflection books. I am enjoying the reading of these books each day as they are so relateable to me now... and it helps me feel like I 'belong' in this unspoken group of surviving thriving mothers everywhere.

I recently read this Parents' Ten Commandments and believe that within the contents there is infinite wisdom to be shared. I wanted to make sure that I can look back and find it easily when I am stumbling as a parent or need a gentle reminder... let it serve as a reminder for all of us on our quest to be good parents.

It goes as follows:

1. Teach them, using God's Word (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

2. Tell them what's right and wrong  (1 Kings 1:6)

 His father had never rebuked him by asking, “Why do you behave as you do?”  

3. See them as gifts from God (Psalm 127:3)

Children are a heritage from the Lord,
    offspring a reward from him.
 
4. Guide them in godly ways (Proverbs 22:6)

Start children off on the way they should go,
    and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
 
5. Discipline them (Proverbs 29:17)

Discipline your children, and they will give you peace;
    they will bring you the delights you desire.
 
6. Love them unconditionally (Luke 15:11-32)
  
The Parable of the Lost Son
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

7. Do not provoke them to wrath (Ephesians 6:4)

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

8. Earn their respect by example (1 Timothy 3:4)

He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect.

9. Provide for their physical needs (1 Timothy 5:8)

Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
 
10. Pass your faith along to them (2 Timothy 1:5)

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

The life of a new 'momma'

"Where have I come from, where did you pick me up?" the baby asked his mother.
She answered, half crying, half laughing, and clasping the baby to her breast,    
"You were hidden in my heart as its desire, my darling. You were the dolls of my childhood's games... In all my hopes and my loves, in my life, in the life of my mother you have lived."
--Rabindranath Tagore

My life is changed. Forever. I'm a mom. This is a new role     a life changing role.
Although I lived a life full of love, I've never experienced this kind of love.  I've been in love (I am in love!) with a wonderful man, I've been blessed to have a family that I love dearly. I can't imagine my life without my parents and love and adore them so much. My siblings are my best friends and I love the memories we have and are always making together. I love the closeness of my grandparents. I've always loved my aunts/uncles, cousins and other extended family members. Then I got married and inherited a new family to love. And I do! I have so many dear, dear friends that I love as well. My life has been FULL of love!

But then he came. My dear boy... Logan Lee Wager. And my heart found an entirely new way to love. It does not belittle the love that I have for the previously listed individuals. As a matter of fact, it may have magnified my love for all of them. Because without those family members and friends, my life would never have been complete enough to love him the way I do. I am so blessed to have such a great amount of love around us. But, boy oh boy do I love him!!

I  stare at him and my heart overflows with love. I look into his eyes and mine flow freely with tears of joy and thanksgiving. His sweet, perfect face is mesmerizing. I hold his little hands and can't imagine the possibly that lies in them. What will his life hold... what will he be, do, love when he grows. I have indeed loved... but I have never experienced this type of love---sacrificial and life-changing love. He is our boy. I can't imagine my life without him and I can't wait to watch him grow. I am so thankful and so blessed to have been given this boy to love. Just when you think life can't get any better... and then it does.

"No one understands how someone so little can so change their world     
until they hold their baby in their arms." --Pam Brown