"The Darker the Night, the Brighter He Can Shine."

Most of these pictures are from yesterday, except I added one of my doula, Annemarie, since most of you didn't get to meet her.

Wow! I have so much to tell you, as we just survived our first night home with Maryn. But first I want to tell you about coming home.

Being checked out of the hospital is quite an ordeal. It was annoying. We were all ready to go but my nurse wasn't coming. We went ahead and put Maryn into the car seat, and despite Maryn loving to be constantly swaddled, she was sleeping just fine in her car seat with her little "Daddy Loves Me" outfit. When the nurse finally came, she was required to ramble on and on about everything I already know and then asked us if Maryn had her blood test done.

Blood test? Seriously. We just got this baby to sleep. She's in her car seat. And we have to do a blood test?

So this guy came in to do the test and John took stuff down to the car. I couldn't even get Maryn out of the car seat because my nails are too long to push the stupid button, so the blood test guy had to do it. He got her out for me, put some weird tape around her ankles, and then he left the room for another 5 minutes to go get the blood stuff. All the while she is unwrapped, which is normally tragedy for her. But she slept soundly.

He came back and John and I watched him prick her arm and her little foot for blood and put drops onto a paper. Maryn remained asleep and absolutely silent. Ah! Miracles!

When I finally climbed into the car, I got all teary. Finally, I was going home. After three days cooped up in that dark medicinal smelling room, I was going home with my family!

Now another part to my story. The most important part!

When I was in labor and we had to drive to the hospital, which is about 3 minutes away, I was having those terrible "pushing" contractions one right after another. They're not that terrible if you're actually allowed to push, but at that point, I was supposed to be "breathing through them." Ha. Well, I really didn't want to have those contractions in the car, so I was just praying in my head:

"Lord Jesus, no contractions, no contractions..."

We had our 33 Miles CD playing randomly and the music somewhat soothed me, and I didn't have ONE contraction the whole way there. Ask John if you don't believe me; this was another small miracle because my contractions had been constant.

When we got into the car to go home from the hospital, I was eager to see what song had been playing. I didn't remember what it was except that it had soothed me. It was "Jesus Calling."

Here is the chorus:

When you see the rushing wind, feel the pouring rain,
Hear the thunder now as the clouds roll in
And you're blinded by the lightning
do you also hear that still small voice saying
It's okay, you're not alone, you may be scared to death,
But I won't let you go
You may think the sky is falling
But can you hear Jesus calling?

And suddenly just everything about preparing for Maryn's birth, planning her birth, preparing for labor, and the way things turned out, everything made perfect sense.

During my labor, even when I was strapped to a table by mean medical staff as if I were being cruicified during horrible contractions, even when I didn't get to hold my baby right away as planned, I was able to praise God. The whole time I was never in a panic. Not because I'm some kind of superwoman (HA!), but because the power of Jesus Christ lives in me.

Please consider purchasing 33 Miles' CD. I'm assigning song #2 to Maryn has her "life song," and our special song. So that means all of you should have it, too!

Maryn Louise

Maryn has arrived!

She was born on September 26 at 3:06 AM after many hours of natural childbirth followed by a C-Section at North Collier Hospital. She was 8 lbs 7 oz and was 20 in long at birth. She and Amanda are both doing really well. Amanda is recovery well from surgery and 30 hours of natural labor. She is very sore and worn out but doing great.

Please feel free to come and visit us at North Collier Hospital today from 11 AM till 8 PM and probably most of the day tommorow starting at 11 AM. We still not sure on when the checkout date will be.

Here are a few pictures for those who can't visit

Amanda holding Maryn for the very first time shortly after arriving in our room recovery.

Here is a close up of her finally sleeping. She loves to be awake she doesn't cry she just wants to look around and see everyone. She tries her best not to fall asleep.

Posted by John look for more photos and updates on our facebook pages.

We're having a baby today!

My water broke at 9:20 lastnight, so the midwife asked that we come in today by 6 am regardless of contractions. So that's what we're doing now. Please pray that the contractions come back soon! I will have to have her within 24 hours of my water breaking.

Apparently, walking on the beach may stimulate labor. So that's what we did tonight. Gorgeous! We too often forget that we live about 10 minutes away from it.

What's Happening NOW (update!)

What's happening now? Nothing. I guess I'm having the regular Braxton-Hicks contractions, which I've been having regularly for a week now, but that's it.

When I first found out I was pregnant, the date September 25th lit up in my head, so maybe that will be the day. Just like the baby being a girl lit up in my head in the same way. Maybe I have the gift of prophecy. :) My mom, either way, will get to experience my labor. I think she was trying to avoid that!

Little Maryn's daddy was three weeks late, so maybe she's just trying to be like him already.

Not a bad person to model yourself after, Maryn. But you're going to drive your mother crazy!

What's Happening

I was in the stages of "early labor" all night lastnight. It's lasted about 12 hours, so it looks like I'll be taking after my mom and her first pregnancy (which was moi!). This is actually a good thing, because when actual, active labor comes, my body will be a bit more acclimated and things should start moving faster and less painfully than if labor had begun suddenly. At least that's what the doula, Annemarie, said.

Lastnight was a rough night! I slept about four hours, so I'm going to try to sleep a bit more today and do some of the normal things I do. Right now, I'm going for a walk.

This is the stage where the hospital would give me pitocin to speed things up. However, pitocin makes contractions more painful and unpredictable (they start piggybacking or lasting much longer than 1 minute). I know I've said it here tons of times, but please do your research on pitocin if you ever plan on having a (or another) baby.

R e i n v e n t i o n

This one young man I know has decided to "reinvent" himself. It made me laugh (jealously) because teenagers can do these things, just change their style, so simply. Me, I'm stuck in rut. It would take a lot to reinvent myself. This guy wants to start dressing differently because people have apparently been stereotyping him unfairly. I don't know if people are stereotyping me, but I've been watching What Not to Wear quite a bit lately, and it's making me think.

I'm the type of girl they sometimes have on the show that is stuck in high school/college. Sigh. It's embarassing to say that, but it's true. I guess I'm so used to having this "cute" persona, I just rode with it. But it's time to grow up.

I look in my closet and honestly, the only things that Clinton and Stacey would approve of are Christmas gifts from my mother-in-law. She's much more stylish. She bought me the fitted jacket they would love, the dark skinny pants, perfect for short people like me, dark jeans and the nicely fitted collared shirts. But everything I choose is girly and juvenile.

Do I have the money to reinvent myself? Absolutely not. Plus, it's not like I need business wear anymore. And I don't think John would go for me suddenly shopping exclusively at Macy's and Ann Taylor. It's more of a JC Penney/Kohl's/Target life for me. And I already know how things work out in those stores. The women's clothes look old and frumpy. Plus they're too big for me, so everything needs to be hemmed. The juniors clothes are cute and fit me well. I need my very own Stacey and Clinton, plus $5,000. Maybe I should submit my application for the show.

the shower is the best place to cry

every night for the past two weeks, i've had contractions that feel promising. i go to sleep, hoping to wake up in a few hours with contractions so strong i can't sleep any longer. but then i wake up and there's no contractions, no sign of maryn. i pull myself out of bed later and later each day, and nearly cry in the shower. but i don't cry about it because i have a cold and that would make me miserable. and my phone rings and rings and rings and i want people to talk to me, i want them to distract me, but i don't want to talk, either. i don't know what i want people to do or say. i don't even know why i'm so sad because i know i'll have a baby soon no matter what.

Our midwife, Dawn, thinks that I am "teetering on the edge" of labor and wants me to try the castor oil today. I just mix two ounces of it in a fruit smoothie and drink away. It's a pretty aggressive approach to inducing labor and I hear it usually does bring on strong contractions. If you read this before tonight, please pray that it does bring on strong contractions that lead to labor, not strong contractions that lead to nothing, which is another possibility.

We may not be able to update here on the blog for a while, but John may try updating my facebook now and then to let you know how I'm doing. Or he might not. We shall see.


Dear Maryn,

Waiting for you is difficult. Please come soon.

Love,

Mommy

Short Hair, Big Belly

This is me, 41 weeks and two days pregnant.

Just a bunch of random thoughts

I got my hair cut off today! I love it. I was absolutely hating having all that hair on my head. I think John likes my hair better short even though he says he doesn't care.

I was worried about this mole that I have, but I have discovered that it's probably a wart. Grrrroooosss. Now I must get rid of it immediately. Any helpful hints would be appreciated.

John hung up the curtains in Maryn's room today. Maybe she was just waiting for them. I hope so.

My mom is coming on Wednesday. Maybe Maryn is waiting for her to come. I hope not!

Rosa has become recently obsessed with the quilt Grandma Erdman made for me. It's weird.

I am now taking almost 40 pills every day. I'm really sick of it.

I went to Whole Foods to get some pills (the Borage Oil) yesterday and I love it. I want all the smelly stuff. Someday when I have 20 million dollars I might buy groceries there.

John and I are eating pizza three days in a row.

John bought me a pumpkin spice latte yesterday. I love him.

We bought the 33 Miles CD and think you should, too! Most of you, I know, would probably like it. You can go here to listen to the whole CD: http://www.33milesonline.com/listeningparty

I bought some veggie "chik" patties made by Morningstar Farms and they are SO good!

I finally found some fabulous French dressing called Ken's something French with honey. I love the way French dressing tastes with cheddar cheese.

John took me out for breakfast this morning to Skillets, which has the best breakfast potatoes ever. I love him.

And...I have a cold. It's a weird, different kind of cold and I hate it. It's not comfortable coughing and sneezing when you're practically 10 1/2 months pregnant. I'm going to try the netty pot today. I hate it. But it makes me feel better. At least for a little while.

What would make me feel really great is a pumpkin spice latte, a large Coke and a large order of fries from McDonald's.

Midwife Tricks

We are officially 8 days late now, but our midwife is kind of changing that because apparently I told them the wrong date of my last cycle. So maybe I'm only 5 days late, which would be a relief. At least I don't feel quite as pressured. If she isn't here by the two week mark (September 28), I'll have to go to the hospital and be induced, so pray that doesn't happen. Induction is, in my mind, the WORST thing that hospitals do.

There are some more natural tricks in the whole labor game, and I've been doing a few. But if Maryn isn't here by Wednesday-ish, we're going to get more aggressive. Here are a few things that we have tried so far (it's a little graphic, so if you're not into it, please stop reading now! Guys...STOP NOW! This is for educational purposes only.).

Christopher's Pre-Natal Formula: These are herbal pills that make me have Braxton-Hicks contractions. It's like exercise for the uterus and helps it become strong and ready for the biggest workout of its life.

Borage Oil: I was taking 12 of these giant pills per day and now, for the next two days, I have to take 25! Borage oil is normally used as an anti-inflammatory, but pregnant women can use it to soften the cervix and pelvic bones.

Stretching...of the cervix. This is what my midwife did to me today...manually...and yes, it hurts as much as it sounds.

But now that she did the stretching and all this other stuff, I am dilated to 3 centimeters! This is very good news, as active labor begins around 4 centimeters, and sometimes even 3. Here are a few more midwife tricks we might be trying eventually:

Breast Stimulation: Ugh. I know this sounds weird. From one article I read, this is, apparently, the only thing that actually does work aside from drugs. And it's not what you think. You just hook yourself up to a breast pump and let it go at it. Simple enough, I guess.

Castor Oil: This is what I'm supposed to try around Wednesday, kind of a last resort. I just put some of this nasty stuff in a fruit smoothie and drink away. Eck.


So basically what I'm trying to say is: Pray, pray, pray that this baby comes this weekend!

Clean House

Have you ever seen the show Clean House? I've watched it a few times and it always motivates me to clean, organize, and declutter.

The show is about families who tend to collect a lot of clutter. But really, it usually ends up to be about families who have some deeply rooted emotional or mental issues. They are attached to material things for all sorts of reasons. The show's hosts try to get the people to sell as much of their things as possible in a yard sale, but it's a huge battle.

It's hard for many of us to get rid of sentimental things. I know I wish I still had a few things from my childhood, like my dollhouse and maybe some of my little dresses. But holding on to things can get way out of hand. Watching the show reminds me that I need to take about a monthly or bi-monthly inventory on my house. If I haven't used it in a month, I need to consider getting rid of it. After watching the show Clean House one time, I marked a day each month on our calendar as "O&D Day" (Organize and Declutter Day). At least this way, maybe I won't even have a chance to get emotionally attached to material possessions.

John and I have a problem with books. We like to keep our books just in case we need them for future reference or want to loan some of them to our friends. But amazon.com has helped me get rid of some, and the rest we may still use...but after a year or so of not even paying attention to them, we try to get them out of the house. Plus, some books are for decoration purposes, since we have very little decoration in our house, and they make us look smart and well-read!

Another area that often needs decluttered is the bathroom. Mostly empty shampoo and lotion bottles. Useless clutter that I think I'll use but I know I won't--so in the trash it goes. Then there's the refrigerator. Gross. Definitely need to declutter that at least once a month! Cleaning supplies. I limited my cleaning supplies significantly when I started using Shaklee products and other all natural cleaning methods (think baking soda and vinegar). It's sad when you realize you have five different types of shower cleaners. Totally not necessary or safe.

I encourage you to watch the show, and, if you're looking for a good book that will make you rethink your perspective on money and possessions, read the book Money, Possessions, and Eternity by Randy Alcorn. It's sitting on our shelf right now. I can loan it to you if you like!

Happy Decluttering!

Dear Maryn,

Waiting for you is not easy. Please come soon. I will sing to you, rock you, cradle you, cuddle you, kiss your little nose, and hold your tiny hand. I even dusted and vacuumed and made everything as clean as possible so that the air is nice and clean for you. It's not too hard to learn how to use your lungs. You'll be great at it because you've been practicing so long with your little hiccups every day. Gravity is going to be an experience for you, but it's not so bad. We know that you are big enough and strong enough, so you can come anytime! Everything is ready. Daddy worked so hard on your bed and your little bassinet. It looks so adorable. Your car seat is in the car. It's been there for weeks! You'll only have to be strapped in it for a few minutes. And just wait till you meet Rosa! You will love her when you're a little bit older. You will love your colorful bedroom and your soft, soft blankets. You'll love all the people that are going to come to see you. You have so many grandparents! Everyone is so ready to see you!

My Links

Maybe you've clicked on some of my links and wondered how I know some of these weirdos. Just kidding. They're not weirdos. They're my friends! So I'm going to introduce some of them to you.

First, World Vision is one of those places you can sponsor a child with. Our lives have been blessed since sponsoring Joseph Kiyingi from Uganda three years ago, and I encourage you all to try it.

Next, we have John Piper. He's not my friend because he doesn't know who I am, but John and I have been blessed by his sermons, which you can listen to free online. He also has great links to other people's sermons, books, etc.

Then we have The Infinite Cat Project, which my cousin, Autumn introduced to me through her blog links. It's a pretty crazy little website and you just have to see it to believe it.

After that you see a link to my cousin Autumn's blog. She is infinitely cooler than me, and a very good writer. Her blog is pretty laid back and honest, and at times hilarious, which I enjoy and appreciate. And she needs to post more often, by the way. ;-)

Then you see the Crawfords' link, which is written by Blake Crawford. He and his wife are good friends of ours and in our little "home group" where we "do life together." He just started blogging and we are proud of him!

Next you'll see Jeff's link. Ah, Jeff. Jeff has been my friend since I was 16. He and several other friends had great significance in my life as I figured out my life in Christ, and I am so grateful that he and other friends introduced me to things Christians like and do, like listen to ska and punk music, watch Bruce Lee movies, and sing songs like "Don't Judge a Man by the Hair on His Butt." He's a very talented writer and artist, and his blog is always interesting (when he updates it).

After Jeff you see Nathan and Bethany's links. Nathan is our worship leader at church. That's how I first knew him. And I first knew Bethany from working in the youth group with her. Now they are in our home group as well. They are both very talented artists, both in music and Bethany in photography. Nathan leads our youth choir as well, and John and I were able to be chaperones on their trip this summer. Some of you might recognize Nathan from the group TrueVibe as well.

Erin is next and our story is a little strange. We met her and her husband, Dan, in our natural childbirth class at the birth center. Bethany found out we were all in the same class from a picture, and it turns out they know Erin from when they lived in Tennessee (right?) because her brother was a member of TrueVibe. Weird! She just had her adorable little baby, Hope. And now we're pretty much blog and Facebook friends.

Cherie is after Erin, and I know Cherie from a lot of things. She and her husband were in our Crown Financial class before they were married, she worked with the youth group for a while, and now they are in our Sunday school type of class at church. She works with babies in a day care center and is at a crazy stage in life (new marriage, new house, new job, trying to have a baby), so her blog is always interesting.

Teri is pretty much, right now, a blog friend that I tracked down because I heard from others at our church that she had her baby at the same birth center. She has two young boys and her husband is a police officer. So naturally, her blog is very entertaining. Especially since she became obsessed with coupons.

Then comes the Pattersons! This is a weird relationship because I don't even really know how I know them and hardly do know them at all, but wish I did. Does that make sense? Jennifer and I met through friends and Southern Living parties. And now I keep running into them because of Nathan and Bethany...and Target. Jennifer and I always have things to talk about because she used to be a teacher and she is the sweetest person I think I've ever met. I wish she was my big sister. Have you ever met someone like that?

Kara is my Avon lady! She actually started me on selling Avon. We met in our new Sunday school class. We have a lot in common because she used to be a teacher, she likes makeup, and she adopted a little boy a few years back (which I intend to do someday).

I read lots of other blogs but like to make sure that I have permission to put your link here first, or at least know that you read my blog. Otherwise, it's kind of awkward. So if you want your link here too, let me know!

Pumpkin spice lattes remind me that...

...Jesus loves me.
...everything is going to be all right.
...fall is sweaters and birthdays and crunchy leaves and school and pies and apples and pumpkins.
...I can't wait to be in Heaven with Jesus and free pumpkin spice lattes.
...cold feet and warm hands aren't so bad afterall.

Cheers to you, Starbucks!

Pumpkin spice latte, you make me imagine myself in a red sweater, in a winter hat, staring out a big picture window at the falling snow, cuddled up with my sweetie, a hot cup of this latte in my hands. Oh how I adore your, sweet, sweet goodness, my lovely latte!

He's Got the Little Bitty Babies in His Hands...

I know to some of you this will sound really stupid and cheesy but here goes. Since I was about 5 months pregnant, I've been singing this song to Maryn, complete with motions on my belly that she seems to love and respond to:

He's got the whole world in his hands (rub a big circle on belly)
He's got the whole world in his hands
He's got the whole world in his hands
He's got the whole world in his hands (by this point she's usually very excited)

He's got the little bitty babies in his hands... (rock the baby back and forth, by moving hips and holding her on both sides)

He's got the mommies and daddies in his hands... (pat belly on either side, taking turns, which she ends up tapping back in the same places, as if she's playing patty-cake with her feet)

I was singing this song to her this morning. I can feel her body so clearly. Little feet, little knees, and her skinny little bottom! But today I got so choked up singing it. I thought yesterday could be the day, and that I'd be singing it to her, looking into her beautiful eyes by now. But she's not here yet, and I feel like I miss her like an old friend. I know it'll probably be only a few days, but when you miss someone this much, every day just gets tougher.

I am being patient, I feel patient, and I'm feeling great otherwise. I just want her here soon.

Confrontation at the Grocery Store

Now, you all know that I love my Publix Green Bags, and so does John. This is mainly for selfish reasons but started out environmental. First of all, I hate having all that ugly plastic laying around my house. It's just plain wasteful and trashy. And John hates carrying in a bunch of bags, some that have only 1-3 items inside, which anyone would find wasteful not only of plastic, but of time and money. Anyway...

Lately we end up in the check out line with this female bagger that doesn't quite get it. It's very awkward every time and I think she knows us now and is a little intimidated. She doesn't pack the bags correctly, and then ends up still giving us about ten plastic bags. When she gets down to the last few items, she starts asking if we want it wrapped in plastic, and I politely say, "No, there's room here, in this bag." And she apologizes, and says she didn't want the bread to get smashed or whatever.

But then she always gives up and just starts bagging things in plastic. We had our hamburger double wrapped in plastic today, all by itself. The eggs all by themselves. The two containers of refrigerated bread dough were wrapped in two bags all by themselves! And all I want to do is yell at her, "I don't want this stupid crap all over my house!!" Which is very mean and uncalled for and John doesn't like me saying things like "crap." But that is what plastic bags make me think of--ugly waste--like bowel movements. And the bags are brown, just to add to the agony of it all. I leave the store frustrated, frustrated at the girl and frustrated with myself for being frustrated over something so trivial.

So today I just threw all the plastic bags she gave us into the recycling and hopefully they'll be made into something useful. Next time I am just going to storm up there and say, "DO NOT USE ANY PLASTIC, PLEASE!"

!!!

Everyone should know that it really bothers me when people use an exclamation point after almost every sentence. I don't think any of my blog readers do this, but if you think you might be a culprit, please stop, because you're making a fool of yourself.

Thank you.

More 9/11 Thoughts

9/11 has passed uneventful. I looked back at all my previous posts on 9/11 and I didn't even mention it there, so maybe the past seven years have been about avoidance for me. But now, for some reason, I feel like talking about it.

I was a sophomore at Muskingum College. I had probably stayed up till 2 am the night before, so I was still asleep at 9:00. Kari, of course, was not sleeping, and neither was my roommate, Lindsay. Lindsay was being her silent self, while Kari was knocking on our door, talking in her normal voice and turning up her own televison across the hall, saying a plane had crashed into one of the twin towers.

Go away, go away, go away...I remember thinking.

But Lindsay turned our television on, so I figured I better watch it and listen, because if Lindsay sees anything as important, so do I. It was sad, is all I can say, as I had no idea what was going on yet. Then, another plane zoomed in and hit the other building.

And that is when I felt that the whole world was crashing down around me. That my country was going to become a battlefield. That I was no longer safe. That anything now could happen.

Classes were canceled and the girls in our house ventured to the living room to watch TV for what I remember to be most of the day, trying to reach our parents, trying to reach out for some security. Friends came over to visit us to pray, to talk, to feel safe.

Today

Today is my due date and no sign of Maryn.

Today is also 9/11, and since that day in 2001, I've wanted to take this day to stay at home, watch the specials on television, and have it be a kind of memorial day. I was disappointed that shows like The Today Show didn't really have anything on, that I know of. And I am uncomfortable that today passes as if many have forgotten.

I understand that many don't want it to become a holiday where we have barbecues and that memorializing today would in some way humor the terrorists (well I don't know about that). But I think today should be memorialized. What do you think?

Mommy Tip

I know I've been posting a lot lately, and I normally try not to do that because I know it's hard for most normal people to keep up with it. However, I am bored and need a place to put my thoughts, so you're just going to have to deal with it.

I have a MOTHER TIP for you. Now that I am going to be a mother, I am FINALLY entitled to give mothers advice, right? I have been waiting for this day since I was 12, when my brother was born, and my mom would always say, "Let us be the parents, OK?" Because I always thought I knew best. And I still pretty much think that way but know I'll be humbled in about three years when Maryn is a living nightmare.

Talking on the Phone with Small Children hanging on you, running around, falling down the stairs, hitting you, swallowing bobby pins, etc.

Moms (especially stay-at-home moms) need adult human interaction. This may only be possible by phone some days, so telephone time is treasured. I speak from experience on this one. When I talk to several of my friends on the phone, we are constantly interrupted by what seems to be, on my end, a three-ring circus that has gone very, very wrong. Like a tightrope walker just fell and the elephants are on a rampage.

I am a firm believer in prevention and preparation. It's not developmentally appropriate to expect your two year old to understand why mommy has just stopped helping you build a castle to talk into a device that, for some reason, spews the sounds of mommy's friends' voices. They're thinking, "What's the big deal? Why does mommy want to talk into that thing and not talk to me?"

So comes this idea from the book Positive Discipline. Place a basket or container on top of your refrigerator. Decorate it if you wish. Put some special toys in this basket that your child doesn't normally play with, and add some new ones from time to time to keep the basket a novelty. Check out the dollar spot at Target or the little birthday party favors for some good, cheap ones.

When the phone rings or you call someone, bring the box down for a time of special play. This way, your little one still feels special and you can be encouraged by some adult conversation.

THIS IS NOT FUN ANYMORE!

This is what I feel like:
I want to:

Go shopping for skinny clothes.

Clean and keep the house looking spotless.

Bake up something yummy to surprise John when he gets home or to surprise friends with delicious treats.

Hold my baby!

But I can't do any of these things, and that frustrates me. I know the impatience is in my head, but I can't make it go away. I want Maryn to come, and at least if I have to wait another week or two, I want to be able to do something constructive with my time. But I feel miserable and lonely...I want her here. Or at least some McDonald's french fries, or a mocha frappucino. And I do think it's mostly psychological. But I can't make it stop. Ugh! I'm so antsy.

Child Slavery in Haiti

As if Haiti and her children didn't have it bad enough.

This from John Piper's blog at DesiringGod.com:

"Doug Nichols has been on the cutting edge of caring for street children since before some of you were born. He is one of my heroes. As Founder of Action International, Doug draws my attention to child slavery in Haiti. The children are called restavéks (stay-withs).

He writes: “Let me share a few paragraphs from the recent book A Crime So Monstrous, by Benjamin Skinner:

…[Slaves] are everywhere. Assuming that this is your first trip to Haiti, you won't be able to identify them. But to a lower-middle-class Haitian, their status is 'written in blood.' Some are as young as three or four years old. But they'll always be the small ones, even if they're older. The average fifteen-year-old child slave is 1.5 inches shorter and 40 pounds lighter than the average free fifteen-year-old. They may have burns from cooking for their overseer's family over an open fire; or scars from beatings, sometimes in public, with the martinet, electrical cables, or wood switches. They wear faded, outsized castoffs, and walk barefoot, in sandals or, if they are lucky, oversized shoes...

[Y]ou may see their tiny necks and delicate skulls straining as they tote five-gallon buckets of water on their heads while navigating broken glass and shattered roads.These are the restavéks, the 'stay-withs,' (child slaves) as they are euphemistically known in Creole. Forced, unpaid, they work from before dawn until deep night. The violence in their lives is unyielding. These are the children who won't look into your eyes. (-6)

Nationwide the number of restavéks ballooned from 109,000 in 1992 to 300,000, or one in ten Haitian children, in 1998, to 400,000 in 2002." (7)

Hebrews

This past week, our assignment for our Bible and Life Group (that's like our Sunday school class) was to read the book of Hebrews. It was next in line as we read through the New Testament. The book of Hebrews is always an interesting trip. I love it because it shows many of the links between the Old Testament and the New Testament, the main link being sacrifice.

When I was little, my mom and Aunt Cathy would read Bible stories to me. They always told me they were true, and I knew that there was something very, very special about them. I wasn't sure what was so special about them, but every time I am reminded I am overwhelmed by the mysteries of God's will, his grace, and that He adopted me into his family. That I get to be part of a legacy that dates back to those Bible stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

One thing I always found confusing (and sad) was the sacrifice of animals. Of course as a little girl, this was completely odd to me. But the shedding of blood was, and is, necessary for forgiveness (Heb. 9:22). Then I got a taste of all the rules (laws) for sacrifices, the specific way the tabernacle was to be set, and the weird things the priests had to do. None of it quite made sense, and I know if I had been a Jew back then, I would have constantly messed up and felt guilty all the time.

But praise God, he put me here on earth after the birth, the death, and the resurrection of Christ. He became the ultimate sacrifice himself, so that I don't have to live with the guilt of my sin. In the Old Testament times, God had to distance himself from His people, but now we can have close, personal relationships with Him. I have direct access because of Jesus Christ.

Now I know that all those weird laws in the OT were symbols for the coming Christ. And that God had always intended to create me and adopt me as His own. Me! To God, I could be nothing. He doesn't need me. He doesn't need anything. I could be dust. Instead, he has made me a descendent.

"That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendents." -Romans 9:8

Is this normal?

This is less than a week's worth of my laundry, plus 8 shirts

that were hung in the closet.

This is less than a week's worth of John's laundry.

For Staci

They hug you,
Hold your hand,
Pat your shoulder,
And you know
It’s good to be touched.

But each touch leaves you
Thirsty for his chubby
Fingers and tiny cuddles,
Sweet, sweet smiles.

They don’t know what to say.
Ruining the sadness.
Breaking into your realm,
Where you want to be.

Be strong.
Be weak.
Just be.

Keep your head up.
Sink down low.
Lie on the linoleum kitchen
Floor. You can cry,
You can be. Just as long
As you be.
Keep being for me.

Enjoy the belly while it lasts!

I never thought I'd be one of those girls that posts her pregnant belly online, but I know I have family in Ohio that wants to see since they've missed the gradual change in my body. A lot of people were looking forward to me getting fat. But here you see that I didn't get too fat (yet) and let's hope it stays that way! And I apologize to those of you that think this is kind of sick or weird.

These pictures were taken by my good friend, Bethany Gaddis, who has her own little photography business, Perspective Photography (please visit her photography site by clicking here!). If you live near Naples or are visiting, definitely consider hiring her, as she's very good and very affordable, and will take pictures of you basically wherever you want, and you will love her very, very much.

When we send out our Christmas cards, which will likely have pictures of Maryn on them this year, I'm sure you'll get to see some more of Bethany's work. And you can contact Bethany on her blog right here or here in case you didn't catch that the first five times.

Poor Puppies

I was watching Ellen today, and was touched and heartbroken by the story of an organization called Island Dog. In Puerto Rico, there is an area where people commonly just drop off their unwanted pets. This area is known as "Dead Dog Beach," and many of the dogs are just that--dead, or on the brink of death.


This organization rescues the dogs and either nurses them back to health or takes them to a shelter that can nurse them back to health. Here is a before and after picture of Gracey, a dog very blessed to have been found.

This story was not shocking to me, as I am very familiar with the stray dogs roaming around Immokalee, let loose by their owners who no longer wanted them.

I am a serious pet lover. If you know me, you know I love my cat practically as much as I love anyone. I am convinced that dogs and cats have personalities, feelings, and yes, emotions. Animal cruelty is a serious issue, and we just have to teach our children/the next generation better.

Always spay and neuter!
"In 6 years one unsterilized female dog can produce 67,000 puppies. One unsterilized female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 kittens in 7 years." -Islanddog.org

Always buy from a shelter.
"There is an estimated 450 "pet shops"selling unhealthy, uncertified, and poorly kept animals in Peurto Rico. Many of these shops are illegally vaccinating and treating dogs. Most pets will find the streets their home when they graduate from their "cute stage." -Islanddog.org I bet this happens in the 50 states, too! $300-$700 for a purebred dog from a breeder is too much money when you can change the life of a dog like Gracey. And...many of these animals that need homes ARE purebred.

Educate!
When I was teaching, I always took two weeks to teach about pet care and love for animals. You would be surprised of the horrible stories and comments I heard from my students. I won't even share here because it will sicken most of you. If you are a teacher or work with children, teach the kids respect for animals and how to properly care for them.

Take Animal Cruelty Seriously
Also as a teacher, if I heard a child joking about something mean or inappropriate they did to an animal (bird, snake, lizard, whatever), I took it very seriously. On the humane society's website, I read, "While some children kill insects, few torture pets or other small creatures. If allowed to harm animals, children are more likely to be violent later in life. Animal cruelty, like any other violence, should never be attributed to a stage of development."

Adoption
Take animal adoption seriously, and what type of animal you adopt seriously as well. If it doesn't work out, always take the animal back to the shelter where you got him/her. Now is a great time to adopt since Tropical Storm Fay and Hurricane Gustav. Many pets are abandoned or lost after hurricanes.

Thank you for listening to my lecture. When you think about adopting a pet or know someone who is, remind them of homeless pets.

Girls, Girls, Girls

In our little home group, which includes four couples, we have a total of 6 girls (soon to be 7) and one boy. Here we have Peyton, Avery, and Brooklyn fawning over Jovie, the newest addition. She's "talking" and giggling now. It's so adorable.



In other news, as you can see here, I think we're going to have a
little problem when Rosa's little sister is born. Rosa, like so many
three year olds about to embark on big-sisterhood, has reverted
back to her baby stage. I caught her actually sleeping in this
little bed, but she woke up and jumped out quickly. I snapped
this shot just before her jump.