Update on Alex!

Wow, I have been remiss in keeping you up to date on the family happenings!  But seeing as I have some big news to share I need to remedy that!

Alex and my youngest sister both recently asked to be baptized!  Sorry I don't have any pictures, but I am so excited to share the news!  Apparently Alex had been asking a lot of questions and the topic has come up more as his English has continued to improve.  A couple months ago he asked why he was a Christian in Ukraine, but wasn't one in our church.  So Mom and Dad explained about some of the differences between infant baptism and adult baptism, and that the church we were going to preferred adult baptism.  Since then lots of other questions and opportunities for discussion have come up.  

A few weeks ago my youngest sister asked Mom and Dad to go forward with her so that she could be baptized, we were so thrilled!  I love my family dearly and it brings such joy to my heart when any one of them joins our eternal family too!  My parents feel the same way, so this was cause for celebration!  Grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and family friends were all invited to celebrate.  Alex was excited for her but also watching closely.

A couple days later he asked if he could go forward the next week.  Dad talked with him to make sure he understood, as best as he can, what that means and why he wanted to go forward. Once satisfied, he agreed to go forward with him, and we had another reason to party!


Mom is pretty sure that he had been wanting to do this for a while, but wasn't sure what all was involved.  After seeing his brave sister go forward he was ready to do it as well.  There is always some concern about motive and level of understanding (really no matter the age of the person in question), but Mom and Dad felt it would do more harm than good to hold him back for those concerns when he showed as much understanding as any of us kids at that age, and trusted that the Lord could see his heart where they could not see.  I remember questioning whether I should be re-baptized as I grew in the Lord and came to realize just how limited my understanding was when I was baptized.  Yet I trust that the work of Christ was complete even in that limited state of knowledge, just as it is complete in this new limited state of knowledge!


In other updates, Alex's English has continued to improve and he has now become the new talker of the kids.  He is learning in all areas by leaps and bounds, and his cooperation with the others has greatly improved.  Although there are still some challenges, as there always will be, he is almost a different boy from the one who came home almost a year ago.  He volunteers information and wants to be part of conversation, he freely accepts and even sometimes offers hugs, he is more willing to accept instruction and help from those around him, and he generally seems more comfortable in his skin.


It has been such a blessing to see my parents work with him over the last year, patiently and consistently redirecting, explaining, correcting, encouraging, loving, mediating and praying for our new brother.  They will both quickly tell you that his improvement and progress is from the Lord, not merely through their efforts.  I must say I am so excited for my parents.  Since I was small I can remember my Mom saying, I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the Truth (3 john 1:4).  While we cannot see the future or challenges and twists it might hold, they now have gotten to see all their children baptized, and from what we can see, they are walking in the Truth.

Where'd she go?

We are getting ready for a super exciting trip, so I started cleaning and packing this morning... somehow Pandora knows!  She doesn't like us to be gone, but she really doesn't like to go with us, and unfortunately (for her) she will have to be with us on this trip.  It cheaper for us to travel by car with all the stuff we take, but she really loathes riding in the car.  So whenever the suitcases come out she goes into hiding.  This morning I found her under the bed, trying to act normal, if that's possible for Pandora!  Hopefully she won't be in too difficult of a place to reach when we are ready to roll out...

Encouragement from Lewis

C.S. Lewis is bay far one of my favorite authors.  I was introduced to him first by reading 'Mere Christianity' sometime in my teenage years and have since read most of his works.  While all of them have different merits of their own, I return again and again to the Chronicles of Narnia.  Picking a favorite among these is as difficult for me as picking a favorite flower, but if forced I think I would say 'The Horse and His Boy'.  It is a relatively simple story, but it always brings such excitement and joy to my heart that I return to it again and again.

During my explorations of Lewis' works I have found that he, like every human author, has faults, both in personality and in theology.  I have also learned the many limitations of allegory since my first reading of the Narnia series.  Yet, even with all that in mind, you will be hard pressed to find an author who makes you yearn after heaven and the person of Christ more than Lewis.  I feel he does a beautiful job of quietly reminding us of those pure longings we all have, but try to ignore or distract ourselves from.  That longing of a different world, one that is complete and not marred by sin, the longing of being known by our Savior, being able to see Him face to face, and after once tasting that always desiring more, the longing for significance, purpose and belonging in our life.  Often times we are unconsciously trying to filling these desires with what the world has to offer, and finding ourselves dissatisfied.  Lewis, through his allegory, points us in another direction, and eternal direction, in such a beautifully simple way that we often disregard it.  "If I find myself with a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." - Mere Christianity


Sorry, I am dragging on.  I say all of this as an introduction to my favorite part in possibly my favorite Lewis work.  It is a timely reminder that I cannot see the 'Big Picture' of what God is doing in and around me in all the many circumstances - good and bad - I might find myself in; that even when things seem difficult and don't make sense, He is in control, and working for my ultimate good and His ultimate glory.  With out further ado, The Horse and His Boy page 174...

 Once more he felt the breath of the Thing on his hand and face. "There," it said, "that is not the breath of a ghost. Tell me your sorrows."

Shasta was a little reassured by the breath: so he told how he had never known his real father or mother and had been brought up sternly by the fisherman.  And then he told the story of his escape and how they were chased by lions and forced to swim for their lives; and of all their dangers in Tashban and about his night among the tombs and how the beasts howled at him out of the desert.  And he told about the heat and thirst of their desert journey and how they were almost at their goal when another lion chased them and wounded Aravis.  And also, how very long it was since he had had anything to eat.

"I do not call you unfortunate," said the Large Voice.

"Don't you think it was bad luck to meet so many lions?" said Shasta.

"There was only one lion," said the Voice.

"What on earth do you mean? I've just told you there were at least two the first night, and-"

"There was only one: but he was swift of foot."

"How do you know?"

"I was the lion."  And as Shasta gaped with open mouth and said nothing, the Voice continued.  "I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis.  I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept.  I was the lion who gave the horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so you should reach King Lune in time.  And I was the lion you do not remember, who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you."

So often I fall into Shasta's trap and automatically bemoan my situation.  Which is why this is so encouraging to me.  In the midst of my self-pity and narrow-mindedness, God is working.  Often in spite of me!  Praise God, He is not limited by me!  This is further encouraging that the Lord is right beside us, directing our steps, even in the midst of painful or frustrating situations.  I pray that I can live this conviction, that the Lord gives me the confidence to face whatever comes with the knowledge that He is ultimately in control - and that is a very good thing. 

 

Eating for Two: "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean Fifteen"

I really like to buy as much organically produced food as possible, but, as with many people, we have a limited budget (if you ever want to hear my reasons I would love to share, but I don't think I have the room in this post!). Buying organic when possible has become even more important to me since we found out that we are pregnant.  While pesticides aren't good for anyone, even in the residual amounts found on lots of produce, they can be especially dangerous for someone as small as the baby in a Mom's tummy.  Because of the way the Mom's system works, much of what we eat goes for the baby's needs before it goes for Mom's, all the good and the bad.  Because developing babies are so tiny even amounts of pesticides that are "safe" for adults can be detrimental to the baby.   This is often a source of much internal debate at the grocery store: Is it more important to get organic strawberries or squash?  What about blueberries, do they really get sprayed that much?  Does the spray they put on the tops of potatoes affect the roots (the parts we eat)?  

I finally found a tool that has helped us in this area and hopefully it can help you too!  I had heard about the "Dirty Dozen" several times before but didn't really understand how accurate it was until I started doing some research of my own.   A group of independent researchers has been sampling fruit from the grocery store from 2000 to 2008 (which is an impressive study, if I might say) for pesticide residue.  They tested the amount of pesticide residue after cleaning or prepping the fruit in the same way as the majority of consumers would to eat them raw (either washing or peeling depending on the fruit/vegetable).  They ranked the fruits and vegetables based onthe concentrations of pesticides left after that prepping.  The 12 worst (or highest concentrations of pesticides) are the "Dirty Dozen" and the fifteen best (lowest concentrations of pesticides) are the "Clean Fifteen".  This list has been very helpful in settling some of the above mentioned debates for me!  I know that the ones most important to get organic come from the "Dirty Dozen" list and I'm okay to save some money and get conventional fruit/veggies from the "Clean Fifteen" list.

This link  will take you to a pdf file that has both lists on it and you can print off.  You can search around and learn more, or get the whole study at this website.


If you are curious and don't want to try the websites, here are the lists!


The Dirty Dozen (Buy these Organic when possible)
1-Celery
2-Peaches
3-Strawberries
4-Apples
5-Blueberries
6-Nectarines
7-Bell Peppers
8-Spinach
9-Cherries
10-Kale/Collard Greens
11-Potatoes
12-Grapes (Imported)


The Clean Fifteen (You can buy these conventional)
1-Onions
2-Avacado
3-Sweet Corn
4-Pineapple
5-Mangos
6-Sweet Peas
7-Asparagus
8-Kiwi
9-Cabbage
10-Eggplant
11-Canteloupe
12-Watermelon
13-Grapefruit
14-Sweet Potato
15-Honeydew Melon


I hope this helps some of your organic shopping dilemmas!
 

Blooming Florida!

A unique summer sight in Florida for me is lily pads blooming!  There is a little water hole near the street we drive to school every day, and it is full of aquatic plants, including lily pads.  We would see lily pads all the time when we would come to visit Granddaddy in the winter, but we seldom got to see them bloom, it is so exciting for me!

This is the water hole full of lily pads and other aquatic plants.

These are the seed pods they leave behind when they are done blooming, they are really fun to use in flower arrangements! (-> )

The way God created lily pads and other aquatic plants to survive with their roots completely submerged is amazing to me.  All plants need water and usually take it up through their roots, but most can't survive having their roots completely submerged for very long. (They use their roots to pull oxygen from the pores in the soil, if all those pores are filled with water they basically suffocate after a while.)  I find it so cool that God made these beautiful plants to survive in water logged soils that would otherwise be bare!

Napping Buddy

I enjoy our cat SO much!  Her antics keep us entertained all the time!  Yesterday I found her asleep on 'Her Chair' with a little happy meal toy from McDonald's she received from one of our friends months ago. (In case you can't tell, its a little stuffed penguin.)  She frequently switches between 'killing' it and then 'loving' it, but napping with it was a new one for me!

Learning Something New: Segways!

We got to hang out with some friends from our church this weekend and learn something new at the same time! Our campus provides lots of free entertainment for the students on Friday night and as long as you have an ID you can get friends in too!  We got to watch a movie, have popcorn and soda, and pretend we were seven by sliding down a giant inflatable slide, all for free!  In addition to this we all got to learn how to ride a segway! I've seen these all over the place and always been fascinated that people don't fall over on them.  I was excited but also hesitant.

Turns out its a lot easier (and more fun) than I thought it would be!

To keep everybody safe the instructor had turned down the speed of the segways, they can go a lot faster than we were able (which was already pretty fast!).  Because of the slower speed though we joked that we were all moving in 'turtle mode', John decided demonstrating was better than describing!

When we were finished I was so excited to get a segway... until I found out what they cost.  I wasn't that excited I guess!

All in all we had a great evening that needs to be repeated soon!

Pregnancy Brain...

Before I became pregnant the only thing I was concerned with was having a cute pregger belly and getting to have a new baby after nine months.  Yes, somewhere in my brain I knew I would probably have some morning sickness, and part of me was terrified at the though of actually delivering the baby (I didn't let that part of my brain speak very often), but having a cute baby belly is really what I focused on most of the time...

Hmm, I wonder if I put peanut butter on my grocery list...

Oh, sorry, right, pregnant story.  Like I said I knew there were some other side effects, but they weren't real to me until I started experiencing some of them.  And then there are some, that I had no clue about, that I seriously think are kept a secret until you are already pregnant and can't back out! One of them is 'Pregnancy Brain'.  The best way I can describe it is...

Ooo, quesidillas sound good for super, I wonder if I have enough for both Chris and me?

Oh, right, the best way I can describe it is like suddenly coming down with a severe case of ADD.  I don't completely forget everything, its more like I get easily distracted ("Ooo Shiny!").  I usually come right back to what I was doing once I have pursued the distracting thought for a bit, but this can happen several times during a single conversation or project. Another way to describe it might be...

Opps, I forgot to brush my teeth again, I better do that real quick...  I wonder if Chris remembered, I better check...

Sorry, 'bout that.  Another way to describe it might be that my multitasking has been thrown into overdrive.  I often try to do more than one thing at a time but now its like I try to do six at a time, while noticing way too much of my surroundings (what's that smell?).  Which can leave me feeling either very accomplished or very frazzled at the end of the day.

Hmm, which link should I use to show them I'm not making this up...

I promise this is connected to pregnancy and the more I have talked to new Mom's the more confirmation I have received.  Additionally its is in a lot of the books and articles I have read, but it isn't something commonly shared with other people apparently...

Well, I lost it. Where was that link again?

Here is one of the links explaining what it is.  And in case you are getting ready to have a baby, or have a friend who's pregnant and seems like she's lost her mind, now you are warned about pregnancy brain!

Should I publish this tonight or later...

Flowers...

Lovely flowers from my hubby!  He knows what I like!  I can't wait to see the lilies open!

Using Fun Presents!

This Christmas Chris received a hamburger patty maker from my brothers and sisters!  He has been so excited to use it and got his first opportunity not that long ago!

It worked great and made some tasty burgers!

Why we chose a midwife

When I used to hear the word midwife I thought of women having babies in the 1800's with no medical help or technology.  The more I've read and talked to new Mom's however my opinion about midwives and current doctors began to change. (Not to mention the logic that plenty of those women and babies from the 1800's came out strong and healthy!)

The more I've learned the more I've realized that God has specially designed women's bodies to bear and care for children, obviously this isn't our only purpose, but we are well equipped to handle this special task with minimal help.  Midwives recognize this whether they acknowledge who designed women this way or not.  They are more inclined to let a woman go into labor on her own rather than getting impatient and inducing her (which can cause a whole cascade of unwanted side effects).  They are more likely to wait for the natural process to take its course rather than hurrying the body along, which is often the reason for things like an episiotomy or forceps assistance.  They are also open to other pain relief options besides drugs and willing to let you get up and move while trying to help labor progress (I really don't want to be stuck in a bed for the whole time!).  All in all midwives are more likely to look at pregnancy and labor as a natural process rather than a temporary disease, which is the view of many OB/GYN's.

Even as I was learning this I was still concerned about the safety of my baby and me.  What if there was a complication?  What if the baby went into distress?  Would the midwife recognize any potential difficulties early in the pregnancy?  So I started checking on the hospitals around here, their protocol and the qualifications of a midwife in Florida.  At the hospital and group we have chosen the midwives are certified through national training and testing that guarantees they are up to speed on all methods and information necessary to safely delivery most all babies.  If they encounter something they don't feel comfortable with during the pregnancy or delivery, each patient is assigned an MD who is qualified to assign and perform a C-section if necessary and handle any emergency situations.

Midwives often have fewer patients than MD's and, consequently, have more time to spend with their patients and are often more willing to answer questions and give information during appointments.  They are also open to options I feel are important to me (turning the baby in-utero for better presentation in a natural labor situation, having Chris in the room and involved in the process as much as practical, not being induced if at all possible, and the possibility of eating just to name a few examples).

Over all we are very confident we have made the right choice for this pregnancy and look forward to working with our midwife in order to meet our new little person!