Christmas 2008

A lot of people told me that Christmas would take on a whole new meaning, now that I have a child.  I listened, I smiled, I nodded, but I didn't really take it to heart.  However, I should have listened.  Christmas was amazing this year.  Not because Hannah really participated in the holiday, but because of the meaning behind Christmas.  Having a newborn made me realize, more fully, exactly what God did all those years ago.  I can't imagine sending my only child away.  Hannah is such a precious part of who I am and the thought of sending her away is something I can't even fathom.  But that is precisely what God did.

We had a fantastic time on Christmas and hopefully did a few things that will become family traditions.  Of course we know Hannah won't remember her first Christmas, but that doesn't mean we can't try to get things off on the right foot.

Our holiday week started off with a trip to Frederick Meijer Gardens.  I really wanted Jeremy to see their "Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the World" display.  I have seen it before, with my students on a field trip, but I knew that Jeremy would really appreciate all of the fun, historic facts that come with each tree.  Hannah enjoyed looking at all of the lights.  Of course our visit wouldn't be complete without a stop at the Ireland tree.  Apparently their big holiday tradition is to decorate their trees around "The 12 Days of Christmas."  Here is a family picture in front of the Irish tree.

Sadly, we couldn't make it to church on "Christmas Sunday" because of the weather.  It was too crazy outside, so we stayed in and had a family day.  By Christmas Eve, the weather had cleared up and we were able to make it to a very meaningful service at church.  Our pastors focused on the different elements of the traditional Christmas tree and how they relate to the true Christmas story and to the Christian life.  It was fantastic.  Christmas Eve was also Hannah's first trip to the church nursery.  I'd like to say that I handled it okay, but truthfully, I was a nervous wreck the entire service.  Of course, she slept the entire time she was in their, so I had nothing to worry about.

Christmas morning we lounged around after a delicious breakfast of waffles and bacon! YUM! We opened gifts, mostly for Hannah, and just spent the day as a family, watching Christmas movies and hanging out.  Since all of our families were out of town over Christmas, I fixed Jeremy and myself a Christmas dinner with most of the trimmings.  Hannah feasted on her usual bottle of formula.

All in all it truly was a wonderful day, all that we could have hoped for.  We have been so blessed this year and are so thankful for everything God has given us.  We're looking forward to the new year and all it has to bring. 

Happy 4th of July!!

Happy Independence Day! July 4th is definitely a favorite holiday of mine. I've loved it since I was a little girl. It's always a good day of fun, food, family, and fireworks.


I love that it's usually not super hot, but just about right. I love that as Americans, we haven't completely commercialized it yet. We haven't really changed the meaning of the holiday by encouraging giving gifts or making special candy just for this holiday. For the most part, we've kept it about America. A day to celebrate the amazing freedom we have in our country. This is the day to celebrate that I can worship whatever God I choose and you can worship whatever God you choose. As a woman, I can celebrate the freedom to vote, to work, to have the same rights as men.

So, have a wonderful 4th of July. As you decide to BBQ or play baseball or watch fireworks, remember that because of the events of this day, many years ago, you have the freedom to do those things.

And, a Happy Birthday to my nephew, who 11 years ago today, came into our family. He's definitely our family firecracker! :)

Panic

Those of you who know me, know that I like to be ready for anything. When it comes to teaching, I almost always over plan my lessons, ending up, at the end of the day, with activities to carry over to the next day. That's fine with me, as I'd rather have too much to do, than not enough.

When it comes to taking trips, again, I always make a list of anything and everything that I may need to have. Upset stomach? No problem, I remembered to bring Pepto-Bismol. Adding an extra day to the trip? No problem, I have extra clothes to spare.

However, with all of my extra preparedness for all aspects of my life, something tells me that I will never be fully prepared to be a parent. People keep telling me, "Don't worry, you'll do fine. You'll figure it all out as you go." I think they expect this to give me comfort, but it doesn't really. How can you be successful at something that you really aren't fully prepared for? Sure, you can buy all the necessary "stuff" and have a nursery full of clothes that the baby will probably only wear once before they outgrow them. You can take the childbirth class and read parenting books and ask others for advice. But you can't truly be fully prepared because parenting is different for every person.

Last night as I laid in bed, trying to fall asleep, this all hit me. How on earth are we going to pull this off? Are we ready? No! We're still learning to survive ourselves! Needless to say, a little bit of panic hit...okay, a lot of panic hit. What are we thinking? We aren't ready to be parents! We're still in need of our parents. We have to be responsible for another human life? Are you crazy??

Thankfully, I did the one thing that tends to calm me down. I started praying. I prayed for peace of mind. I prayed that God would continually remind me, however He chooses, that He will not give us more than we can handle. That I would always know that His grace is sufficient to help us navigate the curvy road of parenthood. I prayed that He would put people in our life to help us figure everything out.

Finally, I opened up my Bible and turned to Philippians. This is the book that we're studying with our small group currently. I read through chapter 3 and then when I got to chapter 4, I was reminded of this unwavering truth:

Philippians 4:6-7 (from The Message) - "Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."

Feeling panic is perfectly natural and doesn't make you less of a person. What I realized last night is how you choose to handle that panic that makes the difference. I choose to let God be in control.