Breaking the Silence

Oct 16, 2012 by Lindsay

Today I am celebrating my Mom’s third heavenly birthday. When I learned of her diagnosis (a cancerous brain tumor) just 11 months before her death I don’t know that I ever thought that I would be “celebrating” her arrival into Heaven. But I am.

My Mom was far from perfect. But she loved the Lord. I know that without a doubt. She trusted Him, she lived for Him, and she praised Him. Her life was a reflection of her Savior.

As I have grown in my faith walk over the last few years one of the biggest joys in my life is worshipping the Lord. I have discovered a new intimacy in worship that has allowed me to turn my gaze from whatever life has brought my way and turned my eyes back to the Lord – my protector and advocate, my hope and bright future, my portion and my prize, the creator of all things, the defeater of sin and death.

There are so many worship songs that speak of Heaven and earth worshipping the Lord and I love to close my eyes, raise my hands and know that my Mom and I are worshipping our Savior together in that very moment.

Nehemiah 9:6 You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

Can you think of a time in your life when you were so excited for two special people in your life to meet for the first time? I think so often of the glorious reunion that will take place in Heaven. My Mom, awaiting the arrival of her precious loved ones to introduce us to The One who died for us all.

Revelation 17:14 They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is the Lord of lords and King of kings – and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.

Are you facing a great challenge in your life? Are you lost, hurting, lonely? Are you without hope? I would encourage you to seek the Lord through His word and prayer but also through worship. When you study the word of the Lord, believe what he has said, take ahold of his promises and live a life that presses towards Him – you can’t help but to have a life that overflows with worship for who God is.

Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

I love you Mom and can’t wait to dance in the presence of the Lord with you!

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Elizabeth – 5 weeks old

May 24, 2012 by Lindsay

Today Elizabeth is exactly five weeks old, so hard to believe. You wait and wait to meet your baby and then the times just flies by!

• She is still wearing newborn clothes and a couple of small 3 months outfits. I am guessing she is between 8.5 and 9 pounds now. We have just a few newborn diapers left, I am sure we will be through them by the end of the day and then she will be wearing all size 1!

• She has gotten a little too big for her swaddle blankets like this one that a friend gave to me (which I never had for the boys but now think they are the best thing ever!) so she has slept for the past few nights without a swaddle and has done fine.

 

• At night she eats around 9 and then gets up once between 3 or 4am, then goes right back to sleep. Two nights last weekend she slept until 5:45 and 6am! Unfortunately those nights Zachary woke up multiple times because the poor boy is getting 4 teeth in at once.

• Elizabeth still has her umbilical cord stump, it is literally hanging on by a strand, stinkin’ thing doesn’t want to let go! All three boys lost theirs way before now, I’m ready to give this girl a real bath!

 

• She is just such a content baby, she is on a great schedule and is easily soothed if she is upset, I am so thankful!

• Her big brothers love her to pieces.

 

Andrew was pushing her in the stroller last night on our walk and there were some big dogs barking behind a fence and he stopped walking and very loudly said “SHHHHHH!!!” a few times. I asked him what he was doing and he said, “I’m telling them to be quiet.” I asked why and he said, “because my baby sister is sleeping and if they keep barking like that it’s going to wake her up!”

One day over the weekend Spencer overheard Joshua talking to her saying, “I love you so much, you are so sweet, I just love you.” I think that the two of them will have a very sweet relationship! When he talks about her he always calls her “Elizabet Wose.” Sometimes if she is fussing he will sing to her and the other night I heard him sing “Jesus Loves Me” but sang “Yes, Jesus loves you, yes, Jesus loves you” to her instead!

Zachary has perfected saying “baybee” and although he is still a little rough likes to show his affection

Here are some pictures of Elizabeth and Joshua for comparison, although the angles aren’t the same you can see a slight resemblance. (First one is Joshua as a brand new baby, then Elizabeth, then one of Joshua at about a month old.)

 

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Tidbits

May 15, 2012 by Lindsay

• Life with 4 kids is busy. Lots of laundry, lots of diapers, etc.

• Elizabeth went to church for the first time when she was just over a week old. She was too little for most of her clothes so she wore a top as a dress, and I think she looked perfectly cute!

• Joshua is in love with his baby sister. Every day when I dress her he will say, “I love her dress!” When I ask him what he loves about it he just shrugs his shoulders

• Two weeks ago I missed church because Andrew had a fever. This past week (Mother’s day) we missed church because Zachary had a fever. I am hopeful that I can go this week, I don’t like to miss!

• This past Saturday Spencer took Andrew and Joshua to Busch Gardens for the day because I had plans to go to a Women’s Luncheon with a  friend and I wanted him to do something fun with the big boys. Well I didn’t get to go because of Zachary’s fever but the big boys and their daddy had a lot of fun!

• We caught Elizabeth sucking her fingers just like Joshua does, but I doubt it’s going to be a habit, it was the only time she has done it.

• I love dressing Elizabeth in girly colors….and navy, I keep finding that I am drawn to buying navy for her!

• Zachary is my little music man, sometimes I will listen to Pandora while I iron and he comes in my room and we will dance together. He loves anything with music and so I took this picture and texted it to my brother because he looks like Matthew lately and he loves music just like his Uncle Matthew!

• I made this for dinner the other night, I found the recipe on Pinterest. I am in a dinner rut lately, I need some inspiration….my requirements are that meals need to be cheap, easy, fairly kid-friendly and have nutritional value, is that too much to ask?!?!

• When you take kids to the grocery store make sure your list isn’t too long because there is not a lot of extra room!

• Little miss went to the doctor last Friday (3 weeks and 1 day old) and weighed 7lb 10oz! I love my little peanut!

• We finally designed and ordered Elizabeth’s birth announcements and I should get them tomorrow. My goal is to have them addressed and in the mail by Thursday. I can’t wait to share some of the pictures we took for them!

• The boys have two more weeks of school and then we are out for summer. I wish I could just move to Ohio for the summer and spend it with my family there, I am missing them like crazy! Are we too young to be snowbirds?

• Zachary makes this old man face all the time, silly boy.

• Today Elizabeth wore a very special dress. My mom gave this to me when we found out we were expecting Andrew before we knew what we were having. I wish she could see my precious girl in it!

 

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