Happy birthday, Kayla!

How time flies! My "baby" is now 3! We had a small party with our neighbor girls down the street yesterday, cake and icecream and presents last night with Daddy and Mandy, and then a party tonight with my family. The theme is "My Little Pony" and there's a lot of pink and purple streamers and napkins associated with that theme! Kayla is a pistol--I'm curious to see how God is going to use that for HIS glory! She also has a sense of humor that makes me laugh! This morning she proudly announced to me that her doll is named "Barium." Gee, can you tell I'm in nursing school! She's so vocal and articulate about EVERYTHING, and she has no issues telling you exactly what's on her mind any time, day OR night (ugh!)

Luke and I have been doing a lot of financial planning/talking lately. We have made some pretty awesome financial goals, and I'm excited to see how it all works out. I know they say "the best laid plans....", but we have covered this in prayer so much. Our prayers are mostly centered around using GOD'S money the way He would want is to. We have really come to realize that this money is a gift from God, and we are the stewards. We are striving to glorify Him in all areas of our life--money included! During this whole process, Luke and I have discussed where we need to cut back (my $1.58 pop purchase at the nursing building have to go!) and how to have "cheap" dates--e.g., get Grandma and Grandpa to come visit and go sit at Noodles with our buy 1 get 1 coupon! It's never "fun" to have to cut back, but the short term sacrifice for long-term benefit is worth it! Thank goodness the goal of this blog is to share my thankfulness and gratefulness. It would be SO easy to look at people and see how they can go out to eat more often, drive nicer cars, live in more beautiful homes, but that's not the point. "Stuff" won't make me happy. If I'm not happy with life the way it is now, having nicer things won't make me happier. Cars get dented, furniture gets spills on it, and homes are eventually not new. The "stuff" that's important is priceless...my faith, my family, my friends.

Oh yes...so much for not getting glasses for Mandy last week! Her old pair broke and were no longer covered under warranty. Thankfully we have vision insurance and were able to get her a new pair (with a one year "we don't care how they broke, we'll replace them for free" warranty!) pretty cheaply. We followed that purchase with a visit to the dentist for both girls. NO CAVITIES! Mandy did great, and Kayla acted age appropriately :0)

What I'm thankful for this week:
1) Wonderful health insurance
2) Federal income tax returns!
3) Kayla's life and the joy she has brought to our family
4) My sitter...she let me know she's probably not going to college again next fall and wants to know if she can watch the girls again! She is truly a gift from God--a wonderful, godly young woman who adores my children and cleans! And, I'm STILL not going to give her name out!

I love school!

I know I'm crazy, but I am loving nursing school! I was told by someone once (she and her husband are in full-time ministry AND she's a professional counselor, so I trust her opinion!) that when you are doing what God wants you to do, you find yourself energized by it. That doesn't mean you don't have days where you are exhausted and wonder why you're doing it, but on the whole, you get energy and excitement from your job. That's how I feel now--energized and excited. I find it thrilling to see how awesome God made our bodies and how awesome it is that there are smart people out there who have learned so much about these bodies of ours. I also am so aware at the sinful nature of our souls and the effects that has on our bodies. As a nurse, every ounce of me wants to take away all the illness, but as a Christian, I know this is going to continue. As awesome as all the medical advances are (and they are pretty awesome!), we will never achieve a state of perfection in our body.

What a week!

This week has been super busy here! I'm in school 4 days a week for classes and/or lab. This week I learned how to give medications and shots and a whole lot about pregnancy and childbirth. I learned a ton (and I have two kids!), so I couldn't imagine what it would be like to learn all this information without anything to relate it to!

I also managed to go for a few runs this week. I'm glad I got it in because it's supposed to be REALLY cold and snowy tomorrow (and for the next few days). Days like that have me looking for nursing jobs in Florida (and no, I don't want to move!) Our poor dog, Coco, detests going outside (and I don't blame her!). Oh yes, I also did the entire pilates DVD again on Wednesday and was just mildly sore the next day. I'm already feeling increased flexibility...woohoo!! I'm still looking at running some races in March (a 15K, which is over 9 miles), so I really need to get back to the gym and on a treadmill.

Oh yes--Wednesday was an AWESOME day! Mandy and Kayla both saw the eye doctor that day, and I was quite sure that Kayla would need glasses (per the doctor's estimate last year) and that Mandy would need her prescription changed. Well, NEITHER PREDICTION CAME TRUE! Mandy's eyes have remained virtually unchanged since October 2006, and Kayla's eyes are perfect and unchanged from last year. Both the girls did really well and the doctor commented that he was able to do a more complete exam on them than he is able to do on most children. I was so proud :-)

So....what I'm thankful for this week:

1) Not killing someone when giving my first shot. I was shaking (not a good way to give an injection!), but the professor said I did great!

2) My kids' eyes

3) The fact that spring is just 2 months away (I'm already counting down!)

4) My husband...he totally rocks! Last night I went to the store, and came home to a spotless kitchen and bathed children...and he did it without ANY prompting (my mother-in-law raised him well!)

Commenting

I had a couple people tell me that he/she was unable to comment. I think I have it changed now, so comment away (if you feel like it!)

Oh yes, in case you care...I did the pilates DVD today. I did ALMOST ALL OF IT! I hurt, but have decided that it's good for me. My goal is to be able to touch my toes by my 28th birthday. That gives me 6 months and 1 week!

WASTE OF MONEY!

That was my conclusion when I woke up this morning and didn't have any of the muscles from yesterday's workout screaming at me. Oh well--maybe I'll try it again and see if I can step it up and see if that makes a difference!

I HURT!

Some of you may know that I am a casual runner. I have goals of running some 10Ks (6.2 miles), some 10 mile races, and perhaps a half marathon. I'm not totally into it, though--I don't wear short running shorts (heck, my running clothes don't even match!), and I refuse to run without my MP3 player (supposedly real runners don't need music). Anyway, that being said...I consider myself in reasonable shape. I struggle with low back pain at times and my chiropractor recommended that I try pilates....

So, I went out and bought a pilates DVD. After going through the whole stack of available options, I chose cardio pilates. Now mind you, I've never done pilates in my life. I am not even flexible enough to touch my toes without bending my knees. My range of motion stinks and my flexibility is even worse. I buy the DVD, bring it home, and it stays in the shrink wrap for a couple days.

Sooo. Luke sees the DVD laying around and decides it looks interesting. He tries it (I'm watching him, pretending to read a book), and he makes these awful grunting noises while doing it. I start laughing at him, I get a dirty look, and then he quits after 12 minutes (and that's only 8 minutes of actual workout because there are four minutes of instruction). That's Friday....

On Saturday, I pull out my mat and decide to do pilates. IT IS HARD! I'm thinking aobut two minutes into it that I probably should have purchased the DVD entitled "Easy Pilates." I'm 10 minutes into this DVD and every part of me is shaking. Mandy is watching me, and I ask her if she wants to help. She responds, as only a small child can, that "I'm tired just watching it!" Smart girl! I turn the DVD off after 13 minutes (just so I could say I beat Luke!) and went for a 4.5 mile run.

Fast forward to today....I woke up in PAIN! Not the "I exercised hard, am a little sore, and feel really good" pain, but rather the "I think I want to die" pain. It was so bad that at church I couldn't even put my arms up in worship or put my hand out in prayer. Luke touched me and I winced.

Of course, being the "diehard" that I am, tonight I pulled out the other exercise DVD I bought: The Resistance Ball. It claims to strengthen the 35 muscles that make up our core. I did all 30 minutes, didn't break a sweat, and am wondering if my muscles will be screaming at me tomorrow. If not, I don't know if I should celebrate being "in shape" or made I wasted $15 on a worthless DVD!

Wow!

That's all I can say to describe the last few days. It has been, needless to say, BUSY! Mandy started back at school on Monday, I started again yesterday, and Luke starts back with his graduate work today. Kayla moans that she, too, wants to go to school....I can't AFFORD to have anyone else in school at this point!

Nursing school is going to be fun this semester. Well, at least it is now...we'll see what I'm saying in a few weeks! This is the first semester where I get to work with "real" patients in a "real setting." I do 4 weeks of primary care rotation and then 4 weeks of labor and delivery/post-partum. I'm looking forward to seeing what it's like, and I'm praying that I still enjoy it!

The focus of this blog is gratitude, so I'll share a few things I'm thankful for right now
1) The beautiful weather (it's January in Michigan, the sun is shining, and it's relatively warm out!)
2) Kayla is completely potty-trained
3) My family is HEALTHY--no colds, flu bugs, or anything else
4) I have the world's best sitter who not only adores my kids and entertains them while I'm gone, but she also cleans my house. No, I am NOT giving her name out!

Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace (the hymn) is my all-time favorite hymn (well, tied with "Come Thou Fount"). I have taught it to my girls, and they sing it often (and sometimes on pitch!). My dad e-mailed me this about the origins of the hymn: Many of you have seen the film "Amazing Grace", the story of William Wilberforce. It is now available on DVD and is fast becoming my favorite movie. You will remember Albert Finny forcefully playing the part of John Newton. Here is the transcript from Breakpoint's Jan 1, which expands our knowledge of this influential man. I hope you are encouraged in your walk as we begin 2008!
Reflections for New Year's Day'Amazing Grace'
January 1, 2008
At the end of December 1772, an Anglican priest in the poor parish of Olney worked by candlelight on his New Year's Day sermon. He would preach on the text of 1 Chronicles 17, verses 16 and 17. That passage was David's response to God after Nathan informed him that his descendants would be enthroned forever as kings of Israel. David, the once poor shepherd boy, the man who would have repented of adultery and murder, responded to the news by saying, "Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me thus far?"
That pastor was John Newton, and those words struck a deep chord in his heart.
In those last days of 1772, Newton found himself running out of empty pages in his journal, a bound book of 300 pages holding 16 years worth of entries. As he came to finish that journal and start another, his mind was drawn to the pages of his past: the story of his life from his days as an unregenerate slave-trader to becoming a child of God.
Newton would have remembered when his rebellious spirit got him thrown off numerous ships, publicly flogged, and ousted from His Majesty's Navy. He would have remembered the shipwrecks and the mutinies—and then the transformation of his heart by the power of the Gospel. As Newton considered those days gone by, he would have asked as David did, "Who am I, O LORD . . . that you have brought me this far?"
As was his habit, Newton set to work composing a hymn to illustrate his New Year's Day sermon. In that hymn, he would tell his poor congregation of lace-makers and low-paid artisans about the dangers and snares he had faced. He would reflect on the amazing grace that had saved a wretch like him.
Those now-famous words of "Amazing Grace," first sung in the small parish of Olney on New Year's Day, 1773, lingered in obscurity for many years. Even as Newton counseled the young William Wilberforce and encouraged him to stay the course in the long battle against the slave trade, the words to "Amazing Grace" were little sung in England. But the Olney hymnal, later published by Newton, caught on in the Americas.
The words of "Amazing Grace" would surface again some 80 years later in a book that would change the course of this nation, Uncle Tom's Cabin. In it, the slave, Tom, at his lowest point, sings the words of "Amazing Grace." Two verses hardly sung today were sung by Tom: "And when this mortal life shall fail/And flesh and sense shall cease,/ I shall possess within the veil,/ A life of joy and peace." These words of the ultimate hope in God, even in the face of deep injustice, forever entwined the words of "Amazing Grace" with the plight of the slaves.
But it all began in that dark little study in the waning days of a year gone by, when one man took the time to reflect on God's goodness to him.
This New Year's Day we would all do well to pay tribute to Newton by imitating his gratitude to God and his heart for the lost. We would do well also to set aside some time to reflect on what God has done in our lives—how He has delivered us from slavery to sin. And we would do well to consider how we, in this new year of 2008, can sing God's praise with our lips and with our lives.

My very first post

So, this is my very first post--Welcome! I never thought that I would do a blog. I don't anticipate this to be something that many people visit, but rather a place for me to reflect on my day (or if I'm really analytical, my life!)

2008 is the year of gratitude. Not being thankful and appreciative of what I have is, in my opinion, something that has caused me (and my family) hurt. Not being thankful for what I have causes me to lose sight of what's important and focus on things (usually material things). I won't be happy with a new fridge, a great wardrobe, or new carpet (although a good night sleep could help my mood tremendously right about now!) All those "things" can't fill me up; Christ, and Christ alone, can.

Life right now is pretty good for me and Luke. Our children are healthy! For most people, that might not seem like a big deal. For my family, however, this is HUGE! Since November of 2002, there have been 18 admissions to the hospital for my family. This does NOT count the delivery of the children, Mandy's kidney surgery or her ear surgeries, or my surgeries. This is just illness related admissions. We are VERY thankful for health!!

Our children are also growing and seeking after the Lord. Mandy is really close to making her own personal decision for Christ. She is starting to understand the concept of sin, the idea that Jesus died on the cross for her sins, and that not obeying mommy and daddy is a sin! She prays spontaneously and truly has a joy for the Lord. Kayla is almost 3, still alive (her cuteness and God's grace kept her alive today--she was a PISTOL!), and brings so much joy to us!

So, as I go through this journey...welcome! Feel free to comment on anything that you see!

Melissa

My favorite video of Kayla

You gotta love a two year old who watches her mommy practice nursing stuff!!