Wednesday, January 16, 2013

{ Life Lately }

Life right now is really good...rich, and full, and good. I'm learning that life is always "good," because God is always good, regardless of my particular circumstances; but in this season, it's really easy for me to see and acknowledge that goodness.
 
I'm reading Romans--r e a l l y  s l o w l y. The gospel is so beautifully presented in that book. I'm letting it seep into the crevices of my soul, reading all the notes in the ESV Study Bible, and moving at a snail's pace. There is so much about the gospel that I didn't get--still don't get. Jesus is amazing. God's mercy and lovingkindness and forgiveness are amazing. God's pursuit of us, how He did everything to make it possible for us to have relationship with Him, floors me. I'm still reading Give Them Grace, and it ties in beautifully with Romans. All about the gospel and how that transforms parenting. Good stuff.
 
I'm excited to see what God has in store for us when we start house-hunting again, even if it's the decision to stay put longer. This treehouse may be little, but it's pretty sweet.
 
 
 
I am so thankful for coffee, cream, and sugar. Those three things in combination are like magic. More, please.
 
Last night I told Mike that I feel like I'm losing my mind. Every night is flippin' Groundhog Day: Lainie's tired. It's bedtime. Feed her. Change her diaper. Sing/rock her to sleep. 10-45 minutes later, she cries. Burp her. Reinsert pacifier. Lay her down. 5-10 minutes later she cries. Burp her. Reinsert pacifier. Sing/rock her. Lay her down. 5-10 minutes later she cries. And on and on and onnnnnnnn for 1.5- 3 hours. E v e r y  s i n g l e  n i g h t. We've attempted crying it out several times; once I think we let her cry for almost an hour and she was clearly getting more and more hysterical, not calming herself. I'm hesitant to try again, because 90% of the time when she cries at night, she has a legitimate need: burps. {That girl has more and bigger burps than anyone I know!} It's just so frustrating...and mind-numbing...to spend hours doing this every single night. And she goes to sleep just fine any other time of day!
 
I would really prefer that my sanctification take place in ways and at times that are more convenient for me, Lord.
 
Ummmmm....
 
I'm amazed that I am able to keep our house and clothes clean, cook reasonably involved meals, blog, and all those other little normal life things, on top of taking care of a little person. There was a period of some months after Lainie was born when I was really freaked out about, oh, everything. How am I going to do anything again?!! I'm lucky if the baby and I are both fed, dressed, and reasonably clean by 1pm--I'm never going to be able to cook or go to the grocery store by myself ever again! As Mike reminded me last night when I had my little meltdown, "this too shall pass." No matter how overwhelming any season with a baby seems while you're in it, in reality it doesn't last long.
 
I'm excited to start attending women's group again. I took a break after Lainie's birth because she was high-risk for whooping cough {especially with her slightly compressed right lung due to the hernia}, and whooping cough is epidemic in Washington. We haven't gone out much, period...and let's face it: I'm pretty much okay with that. I am a homebody. Always have been, probably always will be. I'm perfectly content in my nest. BUT not only will consistent fellowship with other women be great, just getting out of the house regularly will be good for us {and by that I mean me}. Going anywhere with a baby is such a production...I usually convince myself to stay home. It's not hard. And while that has curbed my non-grocery shopping significantly, it's not good for my mental/emotional/relational health. Helloooooo? We were just talking about how I think I'm going crazy every night!
 
Next weekend, Lainie and I are flying to Idaho for a week. I'm really excited to introduce her to family and friends she hasn't met yet, and to catch up with folks I haven't seen in over a year. The whole navigating an airport and flying alone with a seven-month-old? Yeah, I'm a little nervous, but overall I think it will be a fun adventure. I like flying and airports, remember? I will miss Mike dreadfully, and he looks forlorn whenever we talk about it, but I think he is secretly relishing the idea of being a bachelor for a week.
 
Hey, my mug's empty! Is there any coffee left?...

9 comments:

  1. I love you :) thats all

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    1. if you are who i think you are, i love you too!

      if not, never mind.

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  2. I Chuckled all the way through that. Dad

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    1. Dad?!! What are YOU doing here? So now that you're in Florida you finally have time to comment? ;-)

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  3. Love this post, and can relate to SO.MUCH of it. Groundhog day…. yes. ;)

    Secondly, now I am grinning at the comments section.

    For the past couple of years I have done the "read the Bible in a year" thing. It was good for me. This year though, God said, "Uh-uh, you need to diverge from that, girl!" - I think that I had begun to do it as more of a checklist thing, and it wasn't transforming me. SO - this year, much like you, I am digging in, dissecting, processing, and going s l o w. For me it is Galatians right now. Wow, God is working!!

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    1. So there is hope?? Groundhog Day will end...eventually? (Please tell me that it will be soon. Every night I pray with every fiber of my being that she will stay asleep...)

      I've read the Bible in a year once or twice, but I always felt like I was drinking from a firehose--covering way too much ground, way too fast. It may take forever, but I like reading the Bible slow. :-)

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  4. Zach is doing the exact thing at bedtime. Maybe it is the age. Very exhausting though. We just had shots and so he also continues the cranky not sleeping good all night. I think I saw every hour/half hour last night between him and the girls. Could use a whole pot of coffee right now, but unforunately the new coffee I bought doesn't like my stomach. NOOOOOOOOOOOO Daddy get home tonight from California so I hope I get to go to bed early. Can't wait to see you and Lainie.

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    1. Awww Corrie I'm so sorry!! Luckily Lainie has never had reactions to shots, and even a "bad" night for her is only waking up 3-4 times in 10 hours. I can't imagine being up every half hour!! Have you tried Winco's store brand coffee? Mike actually really likes it. He thinks the French roast and espresso roast are nearly as good or better than Starbucks (which is his standard of good coffee).

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  5. I started a jar of cold brew coffee to see if that helps, but it won't be ready for 12-24 hours. That isn't going to help at all today. It makes me sad every time I look at the pretty jar of coffee in my windowsill.

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