recent happenings

Well, here I am again. Blogging over a month later. I guess that's because I don't always have a ton to say. I mean, I could sit and write about what I do every day, but that would involve feeding baby and changing baby diapers. Which is great and everything... but you all don't need details about that. Although there were some recent diaper changing episodes...


Speaking of babies, I nursed Landon for the final time yesterday. The last feeding to go was the morning nursing, mostly because he loves it (I happened to as well... the only time I can keep him still). I was a little bit sad, mostly because I fought so hard to nurse him in the first place (he didn't understand the concept). But he's been self-weaning since about 9 months, so it was definitely time. [And no, I'm not into "nurse the kid until he's 4," but that's just my personal decision.] He'll be a year old next week, and I'm still kind of in shock. Maybe denial. I do absolutely love this stage... minus the teething and sudden refusal to eat steamed vegetables. Which, by the way, came out of nowhere. He will eat jars and jars of pureed veggies, but when it comes to whole peas and green beans? Heck, no, Mom. I will gag until they spew out of my mouth, even when you hide the broccoli in pureed peas. Deceitful woman. I'm guessing it's a texture thing. Regardless... I love this age. Love to see him learn, explore, and change. Just wish it didn't happen so fast.


Christmas was a blast. Randy got two weeks off, so we visited some of our friends in Greenville, which was absolutely wonderful, Landon decided to get sick and have a febrile seizure, Randy and I got to have some amazing and much-needed time together, and then we went to my parents' house for Christmas. 


[Mommy side note]: Landon is fine. I guess his fever just spiked really high, and no pediatrician thought to tell me that he could have a seizure because of a high fever. I mean, really?! Why didn't they bring this up at his 3-day-old visit? Doctors. Just kidding. :) By the way, don't Google febrile seizure. It probably will never happen to your kid. After Landon had his seizure and went totally unresponsive, I panicked. I don't think I'm a typical first-time mom because I generally don't freak out about things like germs, etc... okay, so, I probably don't worry enough... but I honestly don't even remember everything I was doing. I just know I was having a hard time breathing. My dear friend Jenny was the best person that could have been around... she is completely sane and calm and told me that he was going to be okay because he was still breathing. She was right. He's back to his normal self now. So thankful for God's protection!


Back to Christmas. All of us seven kids got to be home this year, which was fabulous. A little crazy, but we're used to that. I mean, hello, we four girls shared a bathroom at one point in our lives and we also DID NOT HAVE A DISHWASHER until Rachael went to college, and somehow we survived (with some singed hair tips and perhaps a teeny tiny bit of hatred for dish detergent -- do I sound bitter?). I finally got to meet my first nephew, Aiden, who, by the way, is stinking adorable. Made me want another one (almost). It is just way too easy to forget about those sleepless nights and colicky moments. I explicitly told Randy to remind me of those two things when I got the hankering for another kid. He hasn't. Anyway, we had a blast. Played way too many phases of Phase 10 and definitely consumed way too many calories. So, so thankful for my family. They are pretty much amazing, and I would never have made it to this point without them. 


But anyway. That's just a little peek into what we've been up to. What I want you to remember from this post is not steamed veggies or baby seizures or my family's lack of a dishwasher. I want you to remember how good our God is. Before Christmas break, God took Randy and me through some deep waters. It would take too long to explain, and it probably wouldn't make a whole lot of sense if I did explain it, but it definitely was one of those "valley" experiences. I asked "why" a lot. I cried for about four days straight. I'll admit it -- I doubted God's goodness. Well, of course I knew in my head that He was good, but by my questioning, I was doubting. It's really amazing that after the Lord brings us through so much, we still wonder if this trial is it -- if this is where we'll finally be disappointed.


He brought us through the valley. He answered prayer in an amazing and really, quite honestly, a miraculous way. As my mom reminded me, it showed me how big my God really is. How kind, how merciful, how good He is. Even in the midst of our sin, our doubts, and our fears -- He remains faithful because He cannot deny who He is (II Timothy 2:13).


The words of As Long as You Are Glorified struck me:

Are You good only when I prosper

And true only when I’m filled?
Are You King only when I’m carefree
And God only when I’m well?
You are good when I’m poor and needy
You are true when I’m parched and dry
You still reign in the deepest valley
You’re still God in the darkest night


Oh let Your will be done in me
In Your love I will abide
Oh I long for nothing else as long
As You are glorified

God is still King in my valleys. Nothing shakes Him. He isn't sitting on His throne in heaven, wringing His hands and anxiously wondering what's going to happen next. He has the blueprint in His hands and He is working all things together in order that I might be sanctified and He might be glorified. 

So... that's all for now. Giving thanks to my God because He is good -- because His steadfast love endures forever (Psalm 136).