Isaac at 6 months

Happy six months, sweet little one. It's hard to believe it's already been a half of a year since I felt the pangs of labor and "gave you the light" as they say in Spanish. I love watching you discover the world as you change from a content little infant to a curious and adventuresome baby on the go.

Within the past month you have discovered your feet, and you thoroughly enjoy putting them in your mouth and chewing your toes. (Daddy is a bit of a germ-phobe and doesn't like that, but Mommy thinks it's cute!)

You're not quite sitting up on your own yet, though I know you will be very soon. You try to sit up, but you often fall over to one side or the other.

You love playing with colorful and bright baby toys, and of course, everything goes in your mouth. It's fun to watch you spot something nearby and reach for it. Big brother Noah is going to have to learn how to share his toys very soon, I think.

I know you want to crawl, Isaac, and I expect that soon you will. You already roll all over the place and kick your little legs until you can reach what you want. And of course you try to eat it, exercising those two new baby teeth! Perhaps Mommy should try feeding you some solid food since you are resorting to eating books and puzzles.

Noah loves making sure you are sufficiently entertained when you wake up from a nap. I apologize for the toys he has managed to throw in your bed before Mommy can intervene. Though it doesn't seem like you really mind, does it? :)

Isaac, I am so blessed to be your Mommy and to share these moments with you. You are such a happy and healthy little one, and for that we are truly thankful.

Stewart friends and babies!

This weekend we visited with some good friends from Stewart. All of these girls were in PC '03 except me. (I was in PC '02.) The four that got together are Amanda, me, Sara, and Shae.

Amanda has two kids, Joshua and Leah, both of whom are about the same age as my two. (They were both napping during this picture.) There's me with Isaac, Sara with her Isaac, and Shae with Bailey. All four of us had babies within 8 weeks last spring.

Here are the four babies in age order. Bailey (8 mo), Isaac (7 mo), Isaac (6 mo), and Leah (6 mo)... I don't know why it's sideways. I will try to fix it.

Noah plays on the baby swing at Amanda's house.

Me and Amanda, both former teachers, Stewart girls, stay-at-home nursing moms with two kids and too much laundry. =) Our two big boys Noah and Joshua have enjoyed playing together a few times in the past few months.

Pictures of me are so rare... I had to include another one that Jason took while I was playing with Isaac in the saucer.

Visiting Purdue for Homecoming

Jason and I went back to Purdue for homecoming last week, though we did not actually go to the football game. We posed together in front of MSEE building, where Jason spent many days and nights in the computer lab working on his programming assignments.

Noah rides on Jason's shoulders as Uncle Paul gives us a tour of the new engineering hall, Armstrong. I think Jason was a little jealous of the high tech lab equipment and facilities that Purdue first year engineering students get to use now!

He's a Marwood Man, he's the best in the land!! He is strong, he is brave, he is true..... da da da I don't remember the rest of the house song!

Noah found a few other little playmates while we were chatting at the Stewart Alumni brunch. Behind Noah are Joshua and Rowan, other Stewart alumni kids.

Chatting with Amanda, my big sis at Stewart. She is partially responsible for setting me up with Jason! :)

Noah finds some food to munch on at the brunch.

sunset photos at Lake Michigan

Jason is holding up Noah in this picture taken by Melody on the Indiana Dunes beach. The lights of Chicago are seen on the left in the distance.

I love my husband!

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.

Brotherly Love

The boys had matching jammies on the other night, and I couldn't help but snap a few pics as we read stories at bedtime.

Finding Time vs. Making Time

Do you have time to read this?

If you read this post, you are making time to do so.

I am no time management expert, but it is a pet peeve of mine when people make excuses like, "I'd love to do that but I don't have time" or "I know I should but I can't find the time."

We all make choices with how we spend our time. Time does not just fall into people's laps. It is not sitting there waiting to be found. Time will pass whether or not you are using it intentionally. Everyone has the same 24 hours to work with, albeit different family, work and social responsibilities to juggle.

Don't wait for things to just happen. If you would truly like to do something and it is important enough, then make the time to do it. You make the time.

2010 Goals Update

In January of this year I set forth a few goals for myself and thought it would be a good exercise for me to write out progress since there are still 10-11 weeks left in the year:

1. Spiritual: Read through the Bible in 1 year.

Update: This goal is going okay. I started the year off strong and was fairly consistent but haven't kept up as well as I would have liked. Now I'm about 55% through the Bible, but we are much farther than that through 2010. Now it's time to kick it up a notch so I can finish out this goal for the first time in my life.

2. Mental: Read at least one other book per month.

Update: I have read well more than 10 books but I've now lost count of the total. Several were during the library's summer reading program. Here are some of my favorites so far this year:

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver

The Generosity Factor by S. Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-a

Won by Love by Norma McCorvey, Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade

Toddlerwise by Gary Ezzo

3. Physical: Work out at least 2-3 times per week for at least 60 min.

Update: For most of this year (February through June), I have not faithfully completed this goal. I guess I do get a tiny excuse since I had a baby in April. However, I am consistently exercising 3-4 days a week now, and I have been since mid-July. Hurrah for a great goal, mostly accomplished!

4. Financial: Pay off at least half of our remaining student loan balances this year.

Update: We started the year with $12,001 in student debt. We have been very diligent about paying extra on our loan balances, even in the midst of buying a house, moving, and having a baby. Any extra income goes toward our student loans. For Jason's 30th birthday in June, we were able to completely pay off the smaller of the two. At our current rate of payment, we should be in the ballpark of $6500 left at the end of 2010.....I am going to try my hardest to get all the way to $6000 since we are SO close!! And looking ahead, Jason and I are excited that we MIGHT be able to be out of student debt at the end of 2011.

Pumpkins, Festivals, and Fall Fun

Recently we went with friends from MOPS to a nearby farm for the morning to enjoy the sunshine on a hayride, visit a pumpkin patch, and more!

Noah was excited about the "tractor ride" as he called it.



Although it is currently Fall, it felt that day more like Summer due to the strong sunshine!

Noah tests the pumpkins to see how heavy they are. This one, mom?

Maybe I can pick up this one??

This little one is just right!

It's fun playing in the pumpkin patch! Maybe we can pick out a Christmas tree here too?

Isaac and Ian rest in their strollers while their Moms are busy with big brothers.

What is better to drive than a tractor that has already been driven into the ground? I couldn't peel Noah off this thing for quite some time!

Mom, I'm driving!!

Playing on stacks of hay bales with other preschoolers. Noah enjoyed climbing to the top.

Check out this pumpkin tree! Someone put a LOT of time into this!

Last Saturday we went to the Fall Festival at the hospital where Isaac was born. There were fire trucks, ambulances, LifeLine helicopters, and so much more. Here's a helicopter that we toured.

There was quite a line to get inside the helicopter.

Noah's turn to check out the inside of the helicopter. This is right before he refused to get out and made me climb in there after him and chase him to the back of the helicopter! The paramedic was chuckling the whole time. (Thanks, Paramedic. When you have kids, see if you're still laughing!)

The Fall Festival also had a variety of animals, including Noah's favorite, the llamas!

Checking out a rabbit. Noah was reprimanded by the owner for poking the rabbit's eyes. Nice job, Noah.

It's getting closer to Noah's naptime...can you tell??

Finally, he just fell asleep in his stroller as we were leaving.

The church where I attend MOPS has a Fall Festival every year also, and we enjoy going to taste the chili and let Noah jump through the bouncey houses.

Grandpa Gary showed up somehow too!

Noah and Grandpa Gary waiting for the spooky hayride to start.

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.