A Beautiful Picture

An Excerpt from "The Wife" by Washington Irving

...Nothing can be more touching than to behold a soft and tender female, who had been all weakness and dependence, and alive to every trivial roughness, while treading the prosperous paths of life, suddenly rising in mental force to be the comforter and support of her husband under misfortune, and abiding, with unshrinking firmness, the bitterest blasts of adversity.

As the vine, which has long twined its graceful foliage about the oak and been lifted by it into sunshine, will, when the hardy plant is rifted by the thunderbolt, cling round it with it's caressing tendrils, and bind up its shattered boughs; so is it beautifully ordered by Providence, that woman, who is the mere dependent and ornament of man in his happier hours, should be his stay and solace when smitten with sudden calamity; winding herself into the rugged recesses of his nature, tenderly supporting the drooping head, and binding up the broken heart.

A Tale of Three Pregnancy Comments

Yesterday, I was grocery shopping by myself, pushing through my body's exhaustion after having run several errands already. I was looking for a certain spice mix in the baking aisle when this guy all of the sudden walks quickly past me from behind. As he passed by, my ears heard him quietly say, "So when is that baby girl due?" Now, the fact that he kept walking quickly and that he spoke so quietly meant that my brain was not processing everything as it was happening. So after a few seconds of figuring out exactly what words he said and then being astounded, I managed to call out, "Next month." After a few more seconds of shocked processing, I called out louder, "How did you know it's a girl??" He turned around but kept walking backwards as he said, "I can just tell. You're carrying high. And I have two of my own." He turned and was gone from my aisle. I still stood there in complete shock. So much, that I said to a fellow lady shopper who had seen the exchange, "That was freaky." She gave a little laugh and moved on. The simple fact that this stranger (who was male) knew I was having a girl and commented on it is weird enough. But what makes it MORE weird is that EVERY person who has commented on what I'm having has argued with me that it must be a boy because of how I am carrying. Two women in particular actually held a conversation with me for a minute or more about how I had to be having a boy no matter how many times I reassured them it was indeed a girl, confirmed by several ultrasounds. The Safeway Stranger is one I will never forget!

Then today, an older lady at church graciously approached me and asked with a gentle smile "How are you feeling? Big?" I told her I'm good save for a couple small complaints of back/hip pain and the onset of swelling but I only have a month left. That's when the conversation took a turn towards major confusion and foot-in-mouth disease for her. She asked something about if I knew whether or not it was twins. (WHAT??) I think I was so surprised at the question that I stammered my reply it was not twins and couldn't imagine carrying two babies. Then she started questioning if they can tell if someone is having twins these days, like do ultrasounds show if there are two babies or is it a surprise. (::dumbfounded stare::) I told her absolutely they know if you are having twins and was going to go into the fact that even if you don't have an ultrasound, they can still find two heartbeats. But she cut me off with, "Well, I guess she's just a big girl then, huh?" (Oh dear.) "Well, no actually she is small which is part of why they are continuing to monitor her with monthly ultrasounds." I think she realized that was her Strike Two, and she may have then mentioned something about me looking big. I told her I was actually smaller than I was with either of my sons. Strike Three. I don't even remember how the conversation ended, probably too mystified by the plainly odd nature of her questioning and also feeling sorry for her indirectly saying three times I was big when all the facts prove I'm quite small for 34 weeks. I didn't have the heart to also tell her NO ONE has told me I look big. :-P

Which brings me to the Mailman's comment this past week. I've had some issues with this mailman in the past seeming almost too friendly and knowledgeable of me and my family (including telling me once that I have a beautiful face...). But I think I've gotten over my fear and realized that he just must be my Really Friendly Neighborhood Mailman. So the other day, the boys ran to the mailbox when he was there so he could give them the mail. I moseyed on over to supervise. Mailman asked me how baby was doing. I told him fine, that she was arriving next month. He exclaimed, "Next month?? You're not big at all! I thought you were going to say you had 5 months left or something." ::shock:: I think I said thank you, and then I explained that I am smaller than I was with either of the boys. But then I got to thinking...what would Mailman (or anyone) say if they thought I was huge and I said I had one month left. You don't hear people exclaiming, "WOW! A whole month left? You're already a land whale. How much bigger could you possibly get?" I suppose people must just give a cordial "hmm" or blank smile instead of responding with that if it's what they believe about you. So I'm content with the Mailman's opposite response. :-P

Encouragement - From a 4-Year Old

I sat there sewing another nursing cover for a friend. Judah was standing by the table playing with Toby, the latest addition to his Thomas set. All of the sudden, he very gently said, "Mommy? You are so good...you are so good to sew those for other mommies."

::teary:: Wow. My sweet 4-year old son recognized that what I do for business is also goodness towards others. That what I sew is used by other mommies and helps them. Somehow, because of his fresh innocence in discovering non-tangible concepts, it meant the world to me to hear him say that. It was also somewhat of a relief to know that, though I'm not spending time with him when I sew, he understands why I do it.

Thank you, Lord. It was precious to see growth in my son's understanding of what You require of us. And the encouragement was simply a bonus!

Why have children?

That's a question I've asked myself a few times in the last week as pregnancy has ramped up fatigue and back/hip pain...and also as two high-energy boys are about to be joined by another child.

Today, I pondered the question a little more because the question has definitely irritated me. Why would I ask that? I love my kids!

When you get down to the bottom of it, the reason we have children is not:

1) Because that's what we humans do.

2) To gain enjoyment from them (because they certainly cause an equal amount of trials!).

3) To raise up more humans who can live happy lives just moving about this earth.

So why have children? I think there are two very foundational reasons while all other reasons are merely bonuses to our earthly lives.

We have children because we are commanded to.

But more importantly, we have children in order to raise up more people who will bring glory to God's name. Not that we are adding to His glory -- He is already 100% glory. We are just adding voices and lives who can increase the celebration of His glory. And if I as a mom can learn to keep THAT my focus in raising my kids, so much will fall into place in the mothering process (like patience, love, spending time on discipline and teaching, etc.).

When everything else is the focus, everything will be blurry.

When God's glory is the focus, everything else becomes crystal clear.

Psalm 127

Judah's Breakfast Prayer & a ScripBit

Simple, but too cute for a Momma not to share.

"Dear Jesus, thank you for this wonderful day you made for us. ::distracted by Elijah...distracted again...:: And thank you for all this food to fill our tummies. Amen."

Today's ScripBit (a bit from Scripture):

"And Jesus answered them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.'" -Luke 5:31-32

Simply put, humility is needed for true repentance to happen.