Heartbeats....

I take for granted that our heart just beats......that it knows when and how to pump the blood to our body and keep life moving in and through us.

This week I have been reminded not to take that for granted. Yesterday Christopher's Nana (Joy, my dad's wife) had a tightening in her chest, pain in her neck and just felt like something wasn't right. So, they left church and headed to presby. After several blood draws, some meds, a night in the hospital and a stress test we got the word today that it looks like it was just a scare and not anything heart related!! Great news.

Christopher and I spent an hour visiting her in her hospital room this morning.... we think that's what did the trick :)

I also have been following a blog of a photo mommy for awhile now....partly because she is so creative, partly because she and I think alike when it comes to the care of our kiddos but mostly its because her youngest is just a month or so younger than C and he has had a heart problem since he was in the womb and wasn't thought to be able to survive it. He was born perfectly healthy and then, about 2 weeks ago was in the hospital. His heart is not beating correctly and causing alot of problems for his little body.

I am amazed by her courage and encouraged by her strength. Stellan is at the top of my prayer list these days!!!

Biblicial Worldview

Most days when C takes his morning nap I grab some sort of breakfast and sit down to watch "The View". I enjoy the banter and get a little current events for my morning. This morning Barbara was talking about the existence of Satan as a real person or force and the stats about the number of Americans that hold a biblical world view. I was amazed.

I wanted to read more and this is just one of the articles I found. And this was one of the most interesting parts:

There are a several troubling patterns to take notice.

First, although most Americans consider themselves to be Christian and say they know the content of the Bible, less than one out of ten Americans demonstrate such knowledge through their actions.

Second, the generational pattern suggests that parents are not focused on guiding their children to have a biblical worldview. One of the challenges for parents, though, is that you cannot give what you do not have, and most parents do not possess such a perspective on life.

That raises a third challenge, which relates to the job that Christian churches, schools and parachurch ministries are doing in Christian education. Finally, even though a central element of being a Christian is to embrace basic biblical principles and incorporate them into one's worldview, there has been no change in the percentage of adults or even born again adults in the past 13 years regarding the possession of a biblical worldview.

While the numbers are saddening to me, its also a good reminder to examine my intentions, heart and example in all that I do. Especially now that I am raising part of that next generation....how am I letting my light shine?

Trip to Arkansas

Last week C and I went to Arkansas for 5 days. We were able to sneak in a day trip to Branson on Monday to visit his buddy Harper and hang out with some of my sweet friends from High School. It was a great day.

The rest of the trip was taxing. Christopher was either beginning to cut some top teeth or had a little bug. Either way, NOT FUN! We spend most of the week in just a diaper after burning through several outfits in one day and just laying low. I was sad that we didn't get to see the Faddis family, whom we LOVE, but there is always next time. Although, it does help to have an expert mommy of 4 and a hubby pedi for advice when your son decides to poop....well, lets just say it wasn't pretty!

Since C wasn't having a great trip I didn't pull out the camera much. I did get some fun playtime on mom's porch one sunny afternoon. The next day he and I went to the Fayetteville Botanical Gardens. There wasn't much in bloom yet but they have a cute kids area and most importantly a tunnel. I tell you, give this kid a small space and he wants to go through it. This tunnel was plenty big and he had a great time crawling back and forth.

It was a great trip and Krissy and I got some fun things done for my website. Im so blessed to have such a talented sister and am super excited about partnering with her to create neat custom items for my clients!

Blessed!!

I ran across this family's blog a month or so ago and check up on them once a week. I have kept this mommy and her family in my daily prayers since I first read her story. Tonight I clicked on and am so saddened.

God provides for me when I don't expect it, HE has blessed me with a wonderful loving husband and a beautiful healthy little boy. I don't deserve it all. Tonight as I sat reading their blog in tears and was struck by just how blessed I am and how Angie carries herself with such Grace and through her own grief is a source of strength for her sons. I just cant imagine.

I pray that God wraps her in his loving arms and she begins to really be at peace.

To read more about their story. I'm adding this family to my prayer list and am going to remember to put my life in perspective. Jonathan leaving the trash out seems a little trivial.

52 weeks of Christopher - Week 11

The weather was so nice we just had to get out and enjoy the day....even if only in our diaper :) Christopher and I went to Arkansas last Sunday and just got in last night. We have some fun pics to upload soon from our time there but just wanted to share this one.

I always wonder what he is thinking when he looks like this.

52 Weeks of Christopher - Week 10

The weather HAD been so nice that we spend our afternoons at the park after our walk. Christopher loves to crawl around the fields so I just follow him and look for the right time to whip out the camera. This is my favorite from that day and last week!

New Finds

Its amazing to me how time really does fly. In a quiet house with the baby and hubby taking naps and me on the computer to "work"......I look up and times up. I sat down last night to edit and check email before bed and thought I would check up on some of my favorite blogs. THREE hours later I'm off on a rabbit trail 9 blogs deep. How does that happen?

I love being able to be apart of my friends daily lives and although I love the verbal or face to face contact its great to catch up on their weekend through blogs. Tonight I ran across a couple really fun blogs. One, great recipes for when you just get in a rut. And another, thanks Amanda, that has some GREAT do it yourself crafts to do with little ones. I know my 10 month old is too young for finger painting, glue and scissors but I cant wait to tackle some of these fun, and educational crafts with him!

Check them out, on the left side of this page, under blogs I love!

Oh Happy Day!

Yesterday was Kate's first birthday and we were able to have lunch with the birthday girl. Kate, you are so very special to us and very loved!!! Happy Birthday sweet girl!

52 Weeks of Christopher - Week 9

Christopher loves to swing. It doesn't matter if its on our back porch or at the neighborhood park.... I love the joy it brings!