mother's day (a little late!)

Every year I want to capture a photo of me and the boys around Mother's Day. As difficult as taking pictures of these boys smiling and looking can be at times, I think it will be fun to see how we all change from year to year.

Self timer does a pretty good job!

Noah, before his super short (accidental) haircut.  

Cute little boys. They are so busy and so active but I love them so much!

the Creation Museum

Jason and I enjoyed our much-needed mini-getaway for our 7th anniversary. We spent the weekend in Cincinnati while our boys spent the weekend with grandparents. Due to the gracious gift of passes from a friend, we took the time to visit the Creation Museum for two days.

We didn't take an inordinate amount of pictures, so there are just a few to show some of the highlights of the museum.

I like this comment...so true! Do we care more about what we think or what the Bible says?
Time to get the "storybook" Noah's ark picture out of the brain. Noah's ark was massive and very capable of holding the number of animals aboard. We got a chance to step inside a bit of Noah's ark.

Another focus of the museum was dinosaurs. The museum showcased their existence in total compatibility with a timeline that supports a Biblical worldview (age of the earth being approx. ~6000 years old). God created dinosaurs, they were aboard the ark, and lived among humans. (see Job 40-41). Recent discoveries have found soft tissue and red blood cells in dinosaur bones, making it nearly impossible that dinosaurs are billions upon billions of years old as taught in evolutionary theory.

The Grand Canyon has marine/ocean fossils in its top layers. Wow! Makes complete sense to me! ...And why don't people believe in a global flood again??

Mt. St. Helens provides excellent examples to show how our age-dating methods are not as accurate as we think they are. Many fossils created from the catastrophic 1980 eruption can be dated using the age-dating methods as billions of years old.... Makes me think twice about the general reliability of those methods, that's for sure!

We also really enjoyed the planetarium shows as well as a seminar about the relevance of the Bible in today's world. We definitely enjoyed our trip and felt compelled to continue studying and learning about our Biblical worldview.

glasses

For anyone who read my post about Lost & Found....my glasses showed up a few days ago!

running + melody

Since she was in town for the weekend, Melody and I went for a training run on Saturday morning. Can I just say, this girl amazes me! Could I have ever imagined even just one year ago that Melody and I would be running together? Neither Melody nor I has ever been the athletic "type" but here we are training for a half marathon. This will be Melody's first half marathon and my second.

We posed before our run with my bib wall in the garage. I love posting my bibs after each race. I don't have many, but I'd imagine I'll have a few more before too long.

I also love my favorite running verse, which you can't really see (in orange): For physical training is of some value but godliness has value for all things, both in the present life and in the life to come. 1 Tim 4:8.

It reminds me that while running is great for now, my real purpose in life is to run after God! It keeps it all in perspective for me.

The O'Connor House

So a quick update about what I am doing at my new job. I am working part time about 10-14 hours/week at The O'Connor House in Carmel.


The O'Connor House is a non-denominational Christian maternity home for single moms over 18 in unplanned pregnancy situations. It is a place for a woman to turn to when she has nowhere else to go. She can stay for up to 18 months as long as she complies with the house policies and rules. The residents of The O'Connor House must complete chores and life skill programs as well as be working, job searching or in school. Each woman sets goals for herself and works toward achieving them while she lives at The O'Connor House. Our house capacity is currently for 5 mothers and their babies/toddlers, and we are a full house with 5 women and 6 children.


So what do I do?


Our house is staffed 24/7 by house managers, and that is my role. Each shift that I work is a little different. There is a lot of variety. I ensure that the residents have completed assignments, babysit children while moms are working, call volunteers, arrange rides to work, plan activities, run errands, sort donations, and mentor the moms about finances, work, goals and parenting. Each day is another chance to speak into the life of a woman who wants to improve her life situation. My prayer is that God will use me to help these moms find or deepen a relationship with Him also.


I definitely feel blessed to be part of this amazing ministry!

If you want to help, there two primary ways to get involved: Give goods or services. :)
-Donations (financial or food/hygiene items)
-Volunteering (giving a ride, teaching a class, house maintenance, babysitting, sorting donations, etc!)
-Ask me!

Life

The most dangerous place to be in America is inside the womb of a woman.

Here are some of the early photos of Isaac (top) and Noah (bottom).

I heard on the radio this week that TWO of every ten known pregnancies is aborted.

In New York City, make that number FOUR of every ten.

The top two reasons cited for abortions are finances and disruption of work/school/life.

Abortion is our nation's vilest, sickest wrong. It is the murder of defenseless, pre-born life. This Sunday is the Sanctity of Life Weekend. It marks the 38th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion, Roe v. Wade. Every single life is sacred in God's sight. Should we not also view life accordingly?

We must get behind ministries that support women in crisis pregnancies such as pregnancy resource centers, adoption agencies and maternity homes. These organizations provide resources for women who ARE choosing life for their precious babies. We must also pray to end abortion. Murder should never be an acceptable alternative for a disruption of life.

Pro-LIFE should be more than a statement of position. It should be an action step.

With that, I am excited to begin working for The O'Connor House, a local maternity home for women in crisis pregnancies!

Half Marathon Recap

My First Half Marathon story... (Beware, it's long. Most of it I am writing so I will be able to remember.)

5:45 a.m. The alarm goes off. I get up and eat Cream of Wheat and drink a cup of coffee and several glasses of water and start preparing all of my gear for the big day. While getting ready, I check the current temperature: 26 degrees. It's gonna be a cold one!

7:50 a.m Jason and I arrive in downtown Indy later than we'd planned, partially due to the fact that our car's driver-side door would not latch (possibly due to frost??)! We had to spend a few minutes figuring out what was wrong with it. Since I knew the race began at 8 a.m., I was slightly nervous about the delay! As we near the starting line I give him a quick kiss, hop out of the car and find the "10 minute mile" sign in the starting corrals. About 8000 others are jumping around, chatting, and fiddling with hats, gloves, iPods, Garmins, and other running accessories. I regret that I drank so much water already when I see how long the port-a-john lines are. There is no way I am getting in one of those lines at this time. I will just survive!

8 a.m.
Mile 1 - The Monumental Marathon race begins! Due to the crowd in front of me, I have to wait about 4 1/2 minutes before I can actually walk up to the starting line. There is a lot of adrenaline flowing and I want to run fast. But I knew this would happen, so I make a concerted effort to hold back to a slower pace to warm up. There are fans cheering and people holding signs everywhere. We run by Lucas Oil Stadium and see the Colts cheerleaders. It is definitely cold out, but within the first two miles I warm up enough to take off my fleece jacket and tie it around my waist.

Mile 2 - Jason cheers me on at mile 2-3 and snaps this picture. I toss him my sock hat.

(Jason leaves and goes to spend some quality one-on-one time with Isaac. He told me they spend a long time in a nice hotel lobby just playing together!)

Meanwhile....


Miles 3 and 4 - We run through the streets of downtown Indy. The fans hold signs like "Run Jessica Run" and "If Sarah Palin can run, so can you!" I am running just like I've trained, and it's so much fun. On my iPod I hear songs like "Alive" by P.O.D. and "I'm Alive" by Jeremy Camp, and it describes how I feel. I run behind a gal with a label on her back "Marathon Pacer Mandy 4:30." I can't remember exactly what pace per mile this is, but a Half-Marathon would be half of that, so a 2:15 time. I figure that I should be okay following her for a while. I mark my time on the iPod with each passing mile, and she's running around 10:25/mile.


Mile 5 - I am ready to run a little faster now that I've warmed up. I know I can push myself just a bit more. I pass the Pacer and see where my legs will take me. I pull out my Clif Energy Gel and eat it. (They're kind of gross, but it was probably a good placebo effect to help me run a little faster.) I simply go with what feels comforable for me and mark the mile. 9:22. I surprise myself that this feels comfortable, but I keep going.

Mile 6 - I take water at the water station. I really am starting to need it now, unlike some of the previous water stations. I realize I am capable of finishing this thing in less than 2:15 if I keep up this pace and stay comfortable. I pass the 10-Kilometer marker at 1:02:24 with an overall pace of 10:03/mile.

Miles 7-8 - I keep marking the miles on my iPod timer. I am doing better than I had expected, maintaining a 9:30 or less pace. The half marathon and marathon splits off at mile 7. Some people seem to slow down around me after the split, so I kick it up a notch and start passing people. I think this boosts adrenaline even more.

Mile 9-11 - We run down Meridian Street toward the Circle. But I can't see the circle because it is still so far off. Music like Hillsong United's "Take it All" and Desperation Band's "I am Free" keep my feet moving. I remember some people telling me they hit a wall at mile 10. It is getting harder, and my heart hurts a little. Remembering that the cardiologist encouraged me to run but to listen to my body, I slow down a little and pray that it feels better. I make a conscious effort to smile at spectators and thank the volunteers. I am thankful for the Gatorade at the water station. I slow my pace to 10:02 for one of the miles. My heart stops hurting, but I am getting tired. I start to tell myself encouraging things like,

-You trained for this.
-You've run farther than this.
-Now is the time to do your best.
-You're over halfway done.

I also see my favorite sign during this part of the race: "Random Stranger -- I'm so proud of you!" I thank that fan. I give high fives to two little girls who are holding their arms out.

Mile 12 - We run through Monument Circle again. The crowd is everywhere. I know I just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other. I listen to MercyMe's "Hold Fast" and am encouraged by the lyrics, "One thing greater than my strife is His grasp, So Hold Fast, Help is on the way." Jason cheers me on down the street and snaps this picture.


Mile 13 - I know I am almost there!! I just have to keep moving. A sign I pass reads "DIG DEEPER" and encourages me. I run faster.

Mile 13.1 - I pass the 13 mile sign and I know we are SO close. I see the finish line ahead. I want to slow down. But I muster up everything left within me and SPRINT to and through the finish line.

Finish - I did it!!! I mark my time and see 2:08:37. My overall pace for the entire race was 9:48. I was proud of myself that I sped up during the second half, which is hard to do when you're tired. I ran the last 6.9 miles at an average 9:35 pace.

I finished 196 out of 441 women 25-29.

Overall I placed 2073 out of 4153.

Finishers were awarded a half marathon medal. Then we got a space blanket, a running hat, bananas, bagels and peanut butter, cookies, chocolate milk, apples, and on the list goes. After I met up with Jason in the recovery tent we took some more pictures.

My little guy is hanging out in his cozy carseat.

Running this thing was a great experience for me. It reminds me of why I like running. I have never been an athletic person, so knowing that I am capable of running a long distance was pretty amazing. Instead of feeling bad that I will likely never be a "fast" runner, I was encouraged that there are so many other people who run similar paces to me.

I am ready to run another half and plan to train for the HUGE half marathon in May.

Taking Opportunities or Making Excuses

A few months ago our pastor Steve Poe at Northview Church said something that has really impacted the way I think.

"Every season of your life is either going to be an opportunity [to serve God] or an excuse, depending on what you're looking for. So be honest with yourself, 'Am I looking for opportunities every day of my life, or am I just complaining, griping, and making excuses?' "

Too often I find myself thinking I am unable to serve God because of __________. Fill in the blank. Anything. For instance, in this season of my life I am a stay-at-home mom. I mean, how can I possibly go out and volunteer when I have two very small children at home who need constant attention? I don't have the time or the childcare or whatever. I have plenty of valid excuses. Or, I don't have enough money to really change anyone's situation. Or maybe, I can't serve God because I don't have the right skills to do the job. Whatever the excuse, I write myself off that I just can't do anything since I am in this circumstance.

But hearing this specific part of Steve's sermon really challenged me to change my thinking. While there may be some ways that I truly am unable to serve God in this moment, I need to instead focus on what I CAN do to serve God. Then I need to do it.

For me a huge part of serving God is serving my own family. While I am not the perfect little homemaker my primary role is a wife and mother, respecting my husband and raising my children for the glory of God. Opportunities exist moment-by-moment in my home to serve God by serving my family. I don't always get it right, but I am trying. And outside of my home, I can serve God in so many ways. Whether for me that means making a meal for a friend, watching someone's children, donating previously loved items to an organization, running to fundraise for a ministry, and on the list rolls.... the opportunities are there. I just have to look for them and choose to take them without all of the excuses.

Why I Like Running

Recently I was asked if I am a runner. I hesitated for a moment as I contemplated this term, but then answered, "I am now."

Five and a half months ago I gave birth to our second son. Three and a half months ago I tested the waters back into exercise as I participated in a 5K, and I was proud of myself for trying to run at times during the race. I wondered if I could run a 5K without any walking, so I persevered through a few weeks of training and ran the entire 5K! Since then I have been hooked on running. I have logged nearly 200 miles in the past three months.

Why do I like to run?

I like to run because it makes me feel alive. While I have never been much of an athlete and I am by no means a naturally competitive person, running has pushed me to challenge myself to new levels. Tracking my progress has motivated me to go farther and go faster. While I am not the fastest runner out there, I have learned that I can go my own pace and be healthy and conditioned.

The time alone is truly relaxing, though I am certainly not alone when I run. Running has provided me many hours to spend worshiping God by listening to uplifting music and in prayer as I run through God's beautiful creation. I love taking in the sights---the birds, ponds, trees, fields, flowers, sunsets, sunshine, rain, and on the list rolls.

Running is full of variety, which is another reason I like to run. The scenery, people, and weather conditions vary, but so do the runs themselves. I love starting out easy and then running intervals as fast as my legs will go. Sometimes I like to push myself and run a shorter distance at a harder speed. And I have certainly surprised myself with how much I enjoy running slow, long distances where the miles just tick off one after another.

There are other reasons I like running. It's cheap or free, it doesn't require a gym membership, I like achieving goals, and it's amazing to build endurance. I can't complain about the side effects of building muscle and losing baby weight either! :) And as a mom who takes care of others all day, it feels great knowing I am doing something good for myself.

As I train my body to run my first half marathon in just 24 days, I am confident that I will do a great job. Even if that means I just "run to finish" without concern for a finishing time. A half marathon is something I never would have dreamed that I would actually WANT to run. I know that I have inspired myself to continue to pursue health and fitness for myself and for my family, and I know that if I can run, ANYONE can too.

Ways to Earn Money from Home

Here are several possibilities to earn money at home. Most anyone with a computer and online access can do these things, as there is little to no start-up cost.

Sell on eBay and Craigslist. What should you sell? Look around the house and find unused items in good or new condition, take a photo in great lighting, and list! If you are really adventurous, stop by Goodwill and garage sales to look for things to re-sell for a profit. Most items will sell, especially niche market items and high-brands. Consider selling media such as DVDs and books, children's clothing, kitchen items and electronics. This can grow into a full time business if you find the right niche and a great source for items.

Babysit at a local fitness center. (No, it's not exactly at home, but kids are generally welcome to come along with mom!). Check with local area churches or mother's groups to see if they need babysitters for group Bible studies or Mops groups.

Participate in research studies. Many companies need research panelists or focus group participants to give their opinions about a product or service. Find several qualified research companies and register to find out about their studies. You may be asked to try a product and provide a review on paper or in person. Compensation for a small group discussion or interview typically ranges from $75-$150.

Collect Swagbucks. By doing free searches on the Swagbucks search engine, you can easily earn "bucks" to trade in for $5 gift cards to Amazon.com. You can save your accumulated Swagbucks for a big purchase or use them as you earn them.

Take online surveys. Many companies offer incentives for taking online surveys such as points toward rewards or a few dollars. A few online survey companies are Global Test Market, American Consumer Opinion, MySurvey, MyView, and Inbox Dollars. You can also look for specific companies with online survey options such as your local newspaper or pharmacy.

Write online articles. Write articles about what you know. When people click on your Google ads on your articles, you will be paid a percentage of the revenue. There are many websites who offer paid hosting for online articles such as About.com, Associated Content, Triond and Demand Studios. Produce high quality work, study search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, and you will be on your way toward a passive income source.

Open a bank account for the cash reward. Complete the requirements to get the reward (direct deposit, debits, length of time for an account open, etc) and earn money. It's up to you whether or not to keep the bank account open after you have completed the requirements. Many banks such as Chase bank offer rewards up to $125 for opening a new bank account.

Use a rewards credit card. If you must use a credit card (and pay it off in full every month), at least make sure that it gives you 1-2% back. Check in periodically to order your rewards and put them toward a debt or mortgage. Many cards are available to earn rewards.

Earn money through Upromise and other cash-back accounts. Upromise specifically is marketed as a college savings tool, but the money can be used in any way. When you shop online (think eBay, Barnes and Noble, Walmart, major retailers!) you earn 2-8% back from your purchases. Other cash-back accounts include Ebates, ShopatHome, MrRebates and more.

Enjoy starting on your new adventure of earning money from home.

Before Baby List

So Jason and I have started thinking about what things we'd like to accomplish before the baby makes his arrival in late April, which is only three months from now. The thought of having less than three months to prepare makes me feel a little crazy, so I'm posting it in hopes of motivating myself to get started on it!!

Here is our list so far. I am sure it will grow too!

Purchases (so glad this list is short since we are having another boy in the same season!):

• Stroller: Sit and Stand Plus or Double. Many friends have recommended this stroller and it fits perfectly with our infant carseat (also by Baby Trend). I am stalking Craigslist to watch for this!
• Diapers: newborn and size 1 disposable diapers... if we get these little by little they will not seem like such a financial drain once baby boy arrives and poops through them 8 times a day!
• Diapers: Cloth size smalls and more one-size diapers

Planning/Review:

• Reread Babywise just to brush up on eat/wake/sleep cycles
• Review and make a plan for labor strategies
• Review CPR for babies
• Make at least 5-10 meals (more?) for the freezer. I'm currently finding recipes that freeze well and testing them out.
• Have a well stocked pantry so we do not need much other than milk and produce once baby comes.

Other/House:

• Pack and MOVE into our new house!!!
• Repaint the downstairs living room and kitchen
• Recarpet the living room and clean all other carpets
• Nursery?? (Do we have time to do this??) At least find all of the baby gear, set up the pack and play and wash newborn clothes. (Hopefully we can paint the room a different color than bright pink!!)

That's it for now!! =) I think my list will grow before it shrinks!

Hail Hail to Old Purdue..

We went back to Purdue this weekend for homecoming! It has been five years since Jason graduated and four years since I graduated. Stewart Cooperative, where I lived, had its annual alumni brunch before the football game. It was so fun to see old friends and catch up! These are some of the girls from Pledge Class 2002 and 2003.

We got tickets to the Purdue game with friends from Stewart also. Though the game wasn't Purdue's best ever (by far), we were in good company.

Jen and Aaron brought their sweet baby Noelle, who I got to hold during the game. She is so adorable!

Our seats were 5 rows up from the 40 yard line. It was really awesome to be so close to the action. As students, we were always stuck way up high in the bleachers in the student section.

Purdue's "world's largest drum" and the band out for halftime. An alumni band also played during the halftime, complete with alumni cheerleaders. =)

Purdue lost to Northwestern in one of the worst games I've seen (not to mention it started raining in the second half!), but all in all it was a fun time.