Cuddle Bug

This past Sunday afternoon, Emerson woke up from his nap a little too early.  I thought he was ready to be up, but when he laid his head on my shoulder and returned to his siesta, I knew there was more sleeping to be done.  So I just came into the living room and laid on the couch and let the little boy sleep on me for about another 20 minutes.

Believe you me, I was soaking it up.  I just kept thinking about how he never does this anymore and could this be the last time he ever sleeps on my chest, like a tiny baby?  Ah... I just breathed him in and held his little body so close.  This little man stole my heart on day one and I don't think he's ever giving it back.  I love my little cuddle bug..

Love

Today I had to read the love passage, 1 Corinthians 13, for Bible Study, which was fitting since tomorrow is Valentine's Day.  It's one of those passages that you've heard a million times, so it's easy to just skim through it without really taking it in, but for some reason today, it just hit me hard.  I kept dwelling on it today and meditating on it.  It's so convicting to read what love is supposed to look like, because none of us love perfectly...  Read through it slowly if you have a minute.

1 Corinthians 13

 ¹ If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,^[a] but have not love, I gain nothing.  ⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵ or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;^{[b] 6} it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
 ⁸ Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. ¹² For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
 ¹³ So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

This is a biblical description of what love is and is not supposed to look like.  In which of these areas do you fall short?  One that was convicting to me was that love is not irritable (sometimes of struggle of mine during a rough day or a moment of stress).   I think that having small children really tests your patience sometimes, too.  Also, verse 7 really stood out to me, especially with beginning foster care soon.  "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."  I think we will face hardships while doing foster care.  We will have to try to bear all things and endure all things, even hard things.  Will my love for our foster children endure or will I just want to give them back if they are difficult?  Will I always possess hope for them, even when the situation seems hopeless?  It's scary and humbling to me, because I know I won't love them perfectly.  It's hard to even love my own husband and biological child perfectly. 

The first three verses really get me too.  Even if I am the hardest working wife or the best at disciplining and keeping my kids in control, but don't have love, I am nothing.  One of my biggest fears about having a foster child is if we can handle their behavioral issues.  But, the Bible tells me that even if I am not perfect at this, loving them is more important.  Can you believe verse 2!?  Even if I have faith that can move mountains, but don't have love, I'm nothing.  Wow... Haven't you ever thought that strong faith was like the peak of being an awesome Christian?  While faith is good and worth striving for (though it is a gift from God), without love, I'm worthless. 

Well, when you spend time with your loved ones this Valentine's Day, maybe try to meditate on this passage and love them with true love.  Surely, we can only love like this with help from the Lord.

Sooie!!

We took Emerson to his first Razorback game yesterday!  Let me tell ya, he loved it. He's just a natural Razorback fan... it's in his blood.  He was soaking it all in.  So many people, lights, and loud noises.  He was wide-eyed and utterly fascinated.  We had such a fun time and it was just a bonus that the Hogs beat South Carolina.  Woo Pig! 

Here's little man and big man callin' the Hogs before the game.

And it was a nice surprise to run into one of my favorite people!  Love ya, Maggie!

It was a fantastic first experience for Emerson.  I think he had a blast.  When the student section caught his attention at one point, I told him he'd probably be sitting over there one day.

My Parents

Mostly when I write, I talk about my own little family.  Caleb, Emerson, and me.  But for awhile, I've been meaning to write about my parents.  Some of you may know them and some of you may not, but I feel so blessed to have them as my parents.  My parents, while they have made their share of mistakes, have been such a wonderful example to my siblings and I.  I can always remember being able to talk to my parents about spiritual things.  It's always been an open topic that we feel comfortable talking about.  I always knew growing up that my parents would drop anything in an instant to pray with me if I was facing a trial.  Their love was unconditional, and I'm sure I tested that to make sure it was :) 

But they have done two big things that have really impacted my thinking and have taught me more than any of their words could ever teach me.  First, they took amazing care of my grandparents when they were sick all the way up until the day they were taken home to Jesus.  Many adults just stick their parents in a nursing home when their health goes downhill, but my parents did the best to care for them personally in the most appropriate environment.  When I was in high school, my grandma was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease and she lived with us for several years.  My mom was such an amazing example of sacrifice and love as she cared for the woman who no longer seemed like the grandma we knew.  It was trying at times, but my mom was constant and faithful to care for her.  I know my grandma would have been so proud of her if she was fully aware.  Eventually, both my grandmothers had to go into a nice nursing home (together), but my parents visited them every single day.  It was such a sacrifice for them to drive there daily after work to spend time with them, even while they were doing foster care.  I pray that I will take just as good of care of my parents/in-laws.  I have no excuse not to, because my parents were the perfect example.

The second thing my parents did that spoke volumes to me is foster care/adoption.  Not only did they care for the orphans, but they did it when most people are finally reaching the easy life.  Kids go off to college.  Retirement is within reach.  That is normally the time to live the life.  Travel.  Buy fancy things.  But my parents started all over again.  They were obedient to what God was calling them to do, even though it meant sacrificing living a life of leisure and rest.  What better example of the gospel?  I am so blessed to have parents who desire more to please their Heavenly Father than themselves.  They gave up living like the culture tells them to live and lived how God wanted them to live.  I know that they don't get much glory or recognition for parenting young children (they adopted three).  But their reward is in Heaven.  God is so pleased in their daily sacrifice of raising young kids (which I've learned can be a very hard job).  And I am humbled to watch their example and obedience.  I thank God that I have been able to witness God using them and I pray that he will use me in similar ways. 

Keep up the good work, Mom and Dad.  We are so proud of you and I'm proud to be your daughter.  Thank you for the example you have been to us.  Love you!

Emerson's Steps

Our little boy is a walkin' boy.  I got some footage for ya.  When he was practicing it dawned on me... "Oh yeah, I guess I should get some type of video so we can look back on this.  It IS kind of a big deal.  His first steps and all."  Also, check out how good Caleb is at walking backwards on his butt :)  That's my man!

Goodbye, January!

Hey friends!  I just thought I would pop in and give you a recent life update.  First, I am glad that January is over.  It was a particularly hard month for me (and our family) and we are welcoming February with open arms.  Caleb has worked really hard this month to get a giant project out the door, which meant parenthood fell more on me for the month (5 AM mornings til 7:30 bedtimes, whew!).  I've also learned I don't do well with less quality time with my husband.  I was so glad when hecame home yesterday for a long weekend!

This past week I caught a "bug", which sounds a lot friendlier than what I had.  Let's just say I was miserable and I am SO glad that it is gone.  But I was very blessed to have my mom come down and help and Caleb was a big help too, despite his crazy work schedule.  I was reminded how wonderful it is to have family close when you have young children.  Being sick is a lot harder when you have kids than it is when you aren't a mom.

Anyway, Monday night was supposed to be our first foster care meeting, so we had to miss.  I was so, so sad about this.  But I am hoping we can jump back on the train and proceed with the trainings.  Emerson is doing well.  Even though I passed my bug on to my sister, mother, nephew, and brother-in-law, Emerson managed not to get it.  Hallelujah!  He is becoming more and more confident in walking now, taking 5-6 steps at a time.

We are enjoying a family weekend this weekend, which started at 5 AM this morning (ugh!).  We made the best of it though, with breakfast at Rick's Bakery.  We almost beat the employees there!  It was Emerson's first experience eating at Rick's.  We shared our muffins with him and I think he was a fan.  He is a mooch with food these days and hovers around us when we eat.  He wants what we're having and has sometimes even been refusing his pureed food lately.

I am getting a well-deserved massage today and I cannot wait.  We will make it to church tomorrow (after three weeks of missing) and look forward to getting to some sort of normalcy in life.  Goodbye, January.  Glad to see ya go!  Hello, rest of the year :)

Sick

Top Worst Things About Being Sick:

1.  I don't get to hold and kiss my baby near as much as I'd like.
2.  Everything seems harder to do.  Weak.  Tired.  Throwing up is the worst.

Top Best Things About Being Sick:

1.  I haven't slept this much in a single day in years.
2.  Gilmore Girls.
3.  I get to see what an amazing husband I have to take care of me.