Austerman Family

Grocery Shopping

2012-02-10T12:02:00.003-06:00

Most weeks I try to do our grocery shopping alone. It's just easier, since I normally make more than one stop to various stores. Mainly because some stores carry certain things that fit into Zay's diet and other stores are cheaper for the majority of our shopping. However, sometimes that just doesn't happen and my little guy comes along with me! Such was the case this week...and what a joy it was to have him smiling in the cart! :)

Some Randoms!

2012-02-06T09:29:00.006-06:00

It's that time again...time to clear off some pictures that have been on my phone for far too long! Here are some random pictures from the last few months! Enjoy!

Some days...we bring our potty chair into the kitchen to brush our teeth, because, you know...that's what normal people do.

Breakfast in bed...I don't even remember this, or why it happened. Must have been his dad. ;)

There are a lot of days that Zay will randomly put himself to bed. This is strictly because he only gets his paci when it's time for bed (Yes, he still has his paci and I don't see it going away...at least not in the near future, I'm surprised I haven't taken it away yet...but he goes to bed so well with it, I'm picking my battles). One day it got very quiet, I went to check on him...sound asleep!

We like to build forts...boxes, couch cushions, blankets...whatever we have will work.

A fun lunch date with grandma and grandpa. (This was all the way back on Zay's birthday)

These two are up to no good!

Grandpa letting Zay try out all the little cars.

Another one...

And another one...on the last one Grandpa actually put money in it and as soon as it started to move, Zay didn't like it anymore!

Then grandpa led us to the play center at the mall...needless to say, Zay was wore out after a full day with Grandpa and Grandma!

We took Zay to a high school basketball game...he loved it!

Mommy and Zay at the game!

Zay sitting in his little recliner from Grandma Judy...notice Bailey, hard to believe there is room for both of them on that little chair!

A random day when Zay decided that his pants needed to be pulled up past his knees AND he needed to where his hat. He's a funny guy!

Oh boy...this has been a wonderful challenge. Zay LOVES to be independent and get his 'milk' out of the fridge and put it back away. Then he discovered he could almost hide in there!

And one last pic of Zay playing with his train set...we have a ton of trains that come through Mechanicsville and it's always a good day if we can see one!

Wasserbahn Waterpark!

2012-01-31T09:06:00.000-06:00

We had a great time over the weekend having the Duncan's visit and going to the Wasserbahn indoor waterpark! What a great time for the boys...and the parents! :)

It was VERY evident that Zay has a love for the water! We did the kiddy slide more times that I could count! And he got so excited when the BIG bucket would dump water...and if he could be under the big splash, that was even better!

One of the Duncan boys...Leyton I think?

The other Duncan boy...Riley (I think).

Both boys with their mommy!

And Zay with his mommy!

And afterwards...the daddy's did a good job entertaining the boys while the mommy's got ready!

Fun Family Night!

2012-01-31T08:38:00.000-06:00

The other night we happen to be in Coralville when they were having "free night" at the children's museum. We have been there before, but not with Daddy...so we showed Daddy all around the museum! It was a lot of fun...for all of us!

Daddy giving Zay some money at the drive-up bank.

The airplane room...lots of fun to be had here!

Inside the real airplane, playing with all the buttons.

The music room!

Having a ball with all the drums!

Zay really enjoyed the piano...maybe some lessons in his future?

Inside the mirrored box!

The train room...what a hit for our little guy who LOVES trains!

The garden room...showing Daddy some of the plants he was growing.

After the Children's museum, Zay was fascinated with the carousel. Since it was free, we decided we'd let him go on it...he thought it was great, UNTIL it started moving! Ha!

This is how we spent most of the ride...since Zay didn't actually like the horse to MOVE!

Shoveling Snow!

2012-01-23T13:03:00.002-06:00

Snow means...shoveling! No worries at the Austerman house...we've got plenty of volunteers to help!

Goodbye AEA!

2012-01-18T15:27:00.004-06:00

I thought I would do a quick update on Zay's AEA Early Access progress! I'm sad, but also thrilled that we won't be seeing the AEA teacher anymore. I've been so spoiled having our teacher come about every other month since Zay was born to 'observe' him and make sure he's where he needs to be developmentally. And they've been so helpful giving me ideas on everything from the pacifier to educational activities! They've calmed my worries many times and overall just been a big help to me as a first time mom!

When we moved we met a new teacher and after she came a couple of times and worked with Zay, we both decided that he just didn't need to be observed anymore. She was giving him activities for 3 and 4 year olds and he was whizzing through them. Not bad for a little guy that just turned 2! I was surprised when she told me how far advanced he was, and of course so thankful that Zay is progressing so well! :) We can call her at anytime if we have questions, etc. Although Zay still qualifies for this service because of his PKU, we are thankful that he just doesn't need it. I'm happy to free up our teacher's time to go work with other children that need the extra help.

With that being said, we have started meeting with a Speech Pathologist. They tell me that Zay's speech is borderline on needing help, but since he qualifies for the service I feel strongly that I want the extra help for Zay (really the help is for me...teaching me how to work with him!). We've let go of one service and added another!

It's funny, because it's only Zay's speech that suffers...his language and vocabulary are amazing! We can teach him a sign and he only needs to be shown once before he immediately starts using it! I've met multiple speech pathologists through various situations and they all have highly encouraged sign language! This helps with a lot of things, but it keeps the communication flowing and helps kids not get frustrated!

Our speech pathologist was also mentioning that there have been studies done that show babies that have been taught sign language are more likely to develop larger vocabularies and become better readers. The signing stimulates the synapses of the brain by using both the right and left hemispheres of the brain, whereas learning spoken language by itself only uses the brain's left hemisphere. Now, I haven't read these studies, but I thought it was interesting!

It's a bummer that Zay's little mouth just doesn't want to make all the sounds we want him too, but I know it will come with time! We already are hearing more and more words! Shane and I laugh, because we know that one day Zay is going to just start talking away and we will REALLY know everything that he's been hearing!

I always remember my mother-in-law's words..."you work so hard trying to get your kids to walk and talk and then you spend the rest of your parenting years trying to get them to sit down and be quiet"...Ha - so true!!

Anyway, we were happy to hear some great news on Zay. Always happy to have a good report on our little guy! :)

Nearly as good as the sandbox...almost like building a snowman...

2012-01-14T07:36:00.004-06:00

Yesterday Zay and I made some 'cloud dough'! And boy was it fun...and messy! Basically it's mold-able dough. Zay was entertained for at least 45 minutes, however there was need for constant supervision since we were inside and trying to keep everything in the tub!

Recipe= 8 cups flour, 1 cup baby oil...EASY!

At first Zay didn't like it on his hands...he kept trying to clean his hands off!

Scoop and dump...scoop and dump...

Our little snow man...much warmer than going outside in the wind!

Overall it was a ton of fun...

And when it was all over...we needed a complete change of clothes! And as you can see, Zay is changing his tune about being without clothes...he's turned into a shy little guy now!

Photo Wall

2012-01-12T16:01:00.002-06:00

I've done some more Pinterest projects...this time I did an easier version of the canvas pictures! They were a bit challenging to take a picture of them on this gloomy day...but you get the idea!

(source)

I just received an order of pictures from Zay's 2 year old shoot. I'm excited to make some more of these! Can't beat having some adorable pics of our boy all over our house! :)

Ah...how we love 50 degree days!

2012-01-10T19:16:00.006-06:00

It's so nice to get outside...in January...in Iowa!

We've been so blessed with so many warm days this winter...we LOVE it!

Today we played in the sandbox...

We went down the slide...

We climbed the rock wall...

We chased Bailey...

We kicked the ball...

And we took a break when we got tired!

Then...we weren't so happy when it was time to come inside. :(

Learning Colors!

2012-01-10T09:44:00.003-06:00

Isaiah has been working on learning his colors! I'm amazed at how much he LOVES to do activities like this! He's growing into such a little learning machine!

An up-close look at our activity!

Let's go shopping!

2012-01-05T20:33:00.003-06:00

But not without...Scout!

Sometimes it's hard to get Scout's feet just right to get in the cart...hmmm, this doesn't sound familiar at all!

Hang on, Scout...you are about to go for a wild ride!

What a great day!

A little different...

2012-01-04T10:00:00.001-06:00

I've realized for some time now that our family is different. Well...besides the obvious reasons, like Shane and my personality quirks, which were passed on to our little boy...we are forever going to be different, because of a little word called phenylketonuria.

A couple of weeks ago I decided to grab lunch at the food court at the mall. Looking at all the options I decided on Chik-fil-A. This was because I knew I could get a 'meal deal' which came with french fries for Zay's lunch.

Upon sitting down to enjoy our meal, I realize that Chik-fil-A has waffle fries. Normally very tasty, however...they leave the skin on the potatoes. Most people wouldn't know this, but there is A LOT of Phe in the skin of potatoes. Example...the skin from one potato has 115 mg Phe. To put that in perspective - right now Isaiah is only allowed 100 mg Phe per day!

So, I solve this problem by eating the skins off the waffle fries before giving the fries to Zay. Now...we are completely surrounded in tight quarters by all the last minute holiday shoppers, and I undoubtedly could see 2 different tables of people staring at me! I continued to shoo Isaiah from just grabbing the fries strait from the container and would take a couple of bites of each fry before feeding it to him. All I could think is...I am just sure I look like a mama bird pre-chewing food before feeding it to my baby bird!

I had to chuckle at this entire situation...but it was also humbling.

And then yesterday another incident happened. I've been blessed to attend MOPS at a local church that Shane and I have started attending. As always, I pack Isaiah a snack to have while he is in the nursery. Being the 3rd or 4th time Zay has been in the nursery, the workers are starting to remember Isaiah with his special diet.

When I went to pick Zay up afterward, one of the workers asked me if Zay had an allergy or if I just brought his food so I could control what he was having. I started explaining PKU, etc.

Bless this lady, she felt so bad for Isaiah, because while they were having snack, Zay was looking around at all the other kid's eating their popcorn and vanilla wafers, and had a sad look on his face. She even offered to bring pretzels and raisins so Zay could eat with the other kids. If it were only that easy!

I had to explain that his pretzels aren't just any pretzels, but if she wanted to bring fruit or veggies, he can have most of those.

I also explained that it has taken me a long time to come to terms with Zay's reality, and that he will be different for the rest of his life.

Shane and I have been told by other PKU families that feeling sorry for him isn't going to help him thrive. Instead, Shane and I have learned to take on the attitude that EVERYONE is different and has special things. Some kids need glasses. Some kids can't eat nuts. Some kids need a wheelchair. Zay just happens to eat differently than most kids. And that's ok...because he is THRIVING right where God has placed him...even if it appears his mom chews his food for him before he eats it...Ha! :)

Thoughts on discipline...

2012-01-03T12:29:00.005-06:00

I thought I'd copy down and review a few of the ideas discussed at MOPS today, mainly because this is the easiest place for me to keep track of good ideas...the piece of paper with all my scribbled notes is sure to be lost and then recycled because it's causing too much clutter. So...online it goes, where it will never be lost or forgotten...well unless somehow something happens to blogger, in which case I'd be heartbroken for not getting my 'blog' printed into a book yet! Ahh...oh well, sooner or later! :)

So...some thoughts on disciplining our children...

James 1:20 says: For a man's anger does not produce the righteous life that God desires.

1. Think about when you get angry with your kids - can you identify the true source of your anger? Usually our anger is triggered by our own agenda or schedule being interrupted...

2. Sometimes our anger is rooted by our lack of faith...little whispers of discouragement. (ie: this child will never listen and obey the first time I ask, is he EVER going to pick up his toys, why do I have to fight with him to brush his teeth, etc)

3. God isn't getting stressed out by our kids not obeying the first time we ask...therefore should we be all up in arms about it? Rather consider it an opportunity for us to grow in faith...trust that God will help us have grace, patience, and a loving attitude to parent our child.

4. Think outside of being a mom! It's important for us to have perspective on things other than just mothering our children.

5. Your job is not to make your kids happy! Your job is to train (love) them and when they are trained, they will be happy!

6. Don't nag your kids to stop doing something - just hand out the consequence! They will learn that you are in charge and they need to obey.

7. Make sure the consequence is a whole lot worse than the crime - if it's not harsh enough, they won't care.

8. Think of natural consequences - make it hurt a little. (ie: if a child fights you to put on their coat before they go outside, maybe let the go outside without their coat on...they will surely be cold, but will have to wait until it is convenient for you to put their coat on for them. Most kids aren't going to be endangered by a little cold for a short time)

9. When God disciplines us, he isn't mad at us, he loves us and is showing us He is in charge and wants what is best for us. Our kids need to know the same.

10. Where is your faith? Do you believe the better mom you are, the better kids you will produce? Or do you believe that God is in control? Don't fall for the lie that YOU are the 'be all' and 'end all' of your children's outcome. Put it in God's hands and ask Him for guidance! (highlighted because this was my favorite take away from the discussion today...so often I try so hard to be the BEST mom I can so that my child will 'turn out' ok...I'm realizing I need to put my trust in God. He's guiding me and showing me how to raise HIS child!)

11. Get the word of God in your children's head...it will naturally sink in! (This can't happen unless it is in your head as well!)

Some key verses:

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him

1 Peter 4:12 Dear friends, do no be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.

James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of you faith develops perseverance.

Hebrews 12:11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Galatians 5:6b The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

2011...2012

2011-12-31T14:08:00.009-06:00

I did this last year, and thought I'd take a moment to reflect and look forward to this coming year as well! Happy New Year! :)

11 Words to describe 2011...

1. God-filled

2. Amazing

3. Challenging

4. Bittersweet

5. Changing

6. Persevering

7. Rewarding

8. Grateful

9. Cherished

10. Blessed

11. Perfect

11 Things Learned in 2011...

1. God can and will make things happen! Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

2. Be grateful for friends...moving away from friends helps you discern the difference between good friends and mere acquaintances. And that's ok.

3. You won't and can't agree with everyone. Realize that sometimes people will rationalize and justify anything just to be right...let them. The important thing is that you do what is right for you and your family.

4. Shane and I still are an incredible team, when I'm with him, there is nothing we can't conquer!

5. Enjoy this "never to be returned to you" season of life. These memories are priceless - write them down!

6. My new job rocks! It may be 24/7 with no pay and no vacation time, but all the other benefits are out of this world! It's sad, but I rarely think about or miss my old job...I only miss the people.

7. I've found a new level of respect for my husband, as the sole provider of our family, he works hard. I appreciate all he does for us!

8. My son is incredible! He is simply the best. Spending my days with him and seeing him grow and flourish lights up my life. I am so grateful that I am able to see him learn and discover everyday. And so proud when he obeys and his personality shines bright!

9. Finding time to spend with God is important! It's how I get filled up, recharged and focused on what is important.

10. It doesn't have to be well with your circumstances to be well with your soul!

11. All burdens and blessings come from God. And his grace is sufficient for me to carry each burden and blessing. Praise him always!

12 Hopes for 2012...

1. Intentionally be more prayerful and in the Word...continuously growing towards God. (This seems to remain at the top each year)

2. Look for ways to express more love and serve my husband.

3. Love on my son as much as humanly possible...I want to seize these fleeting moments of his toddlerhood.

4. I want to learn more ways to cook for Zay and our family. New recipes, new foods and new ideas for making food for our entire family.

5. Carve out time for more exercise.

6. Read, read, read. I did better in 2011, but I would like to still make time for more.

7. Tune into where God is leading our family. Find a church home and become involved. Possibly find a permanent home and town this year? And hopefully find a small group and/or friends to 'live life with'.

8. Achieve patience and consistency in parenting our toddler. Along with learning how to teach him everything from the ABC's to important character qualities.

9. Enjoy family and friendships...and hopefully make some new friends in our new community...wherever that ends up being!

10. Organize and continue to simplify our home and life!

11. Document more...pictures, stories, memories! I want to remember everything from this season of our life!

12. Embrace all of life's blessings and be thankful.

A very Merry Christmas indeed!

2011-12-28T11:39:00.007-06:00

We're finally home after lots of traveling for Christmas...what a wonderful time to be with family and friends! We've had lots of laughs, tons of good food, spoiled with gifts, and so happy to have spent the past few days with our family and friends! Thank you everyone that hosted us! :)

Here are a few pictures from our two family Christmases!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T07:03:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas from the Austerman's!

We hope you have a very blessed Christmas this year! :)

Pictures of our favorite 2 year old!!!

2011-12-16T06:15:00.001-06:00

Thanks to a 50 degree day in December, Zay and I were able to venture out to take some pics! This boy just can't get any cuter...ok, I know I'm his mom...but seriously - don't ya think!?!?

TWO years old...

2011-12-16T06:05:00.000-06:00

A little trip down memory lane..........here are some pictures of our little guy going from 1 to 2 years old! Oh my...this mama can't even believe it!!!

Happy birthday my sweet boy...we love you so, so much! Please never lose your sweet nature and your animated personality. Remember...Mommy loves you, Daddy loves you, and Jesus loves you the most!

Happy 2nd Birthday to my little boy!

2011-12-16T04:06:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday, Isaiah!!!

More to come on celebrating Zay's 2nd birthday!

Do-A-Dots

2011-12-15T05:13:00.000-06:00

I made a recent discovery of markers for toddlers and boy does Zay like them! They are called Do-A-Dot markers.

We've made many pictures for Daddy, Christmas cards for Grandma Judy, Grandma Becky and Papa Jim. And we've done some worksheets on the letter "A".

Lots of fun to be had with these markers!

Having so much fun!

And this is the face you get if you ask Zay to smile too many times...

All of the sudden I noticed Zay was putting all the correct lids on the correct colors...without my prompting - little smarty pants.

It's a little messy...but so much fun!

Focused

2011-12-14T05:53:00.000-06:00

Zay's focus amazes me sometimes. He is a very determined little boy and wants to figure things out.

This always makes me really happy, because I know that many kids/people with PKU can struggle with focusing. I was recently reading about needing to make sure that Zay gets his formula throughout the entire day. Since his formula is where he gets 95% of his protein, his body and brain won't function nearly as well he goes too long in between drinking it. Which makes since...I suppose I haven't ever gone very long in between feeding my body some protein!

Anyway, last week at Story Time we made candy canes using beads and pipe cleaners. On the way home, Zay decided to take his apart, so we put it back together that evening so we could show it to Daddy.

I kept trying to get him to look at me for a picture, but he was so focused, this was the best I could get!

Those eyebrows show his determination!

Little hands hard at work.

The kitchen sink

2011-12-13T11:39:00.003-06:00

I'm always trying to find things to keep Zay busy and so recently while I was cleaning up the kitchen I filled the sink with a little water and let him go to town with a few measuring cups and spoons. Messy? Yep. Fun? YES!

Memory Verses for Kids

2011-12-12T21:38:00.000-06:00

I found a great website for helping kids (and mom) memorize scripture. Here are the ones we are going to start with!

Easy Bible Memory Verses For Kids

§ Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God proves true.

§ Matthew 6:24 – No one can serve two masters.

§ Deuteronomy 6:5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

§ Matthew 22:39 You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

§ 1 Corinthians 10:31 – Whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.

§ Psalm 19:1 – The heavens declare the glory of God.

§ Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

§ Psalm 139:14 – I praise you God, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

§ Isaiah 43:5 Do not be afraid for I am with you.

§ Psalm 1:6 – The LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

§ Proverbs 14:5 A honest wittiness does not lie, a false witness breaths lies

§ Genesis 16:13 You are the God who sees.

§ Numbers 6:24 The Lord bless you and keep you

§ Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

§ Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly

§ 1 John 5:3 This is love for God: to obey his commands

§ Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit

§ Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

§ Psalm 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

§ Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart.

§ Romans 10:13 Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

§ Romans 3:23 All people have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

§ Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world.

§ Psalm 145:9 The Lord is good to all.

§ Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things.

§ James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.

§ Matthew 28:20 I am with you always.

§ Act 16:31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.

§ Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another.

§ 1John 3:23 Love one another.

§ Psalm 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in You.

§ Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

§ Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

§ Psalm 136:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.

§ Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

§ Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

§ Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

§ Psalm 138:1 “I will praise thee with my whole heart”

§ John 10:11 I am the good shepherd.

§ Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

(Source)

Breath of Heaven

2011-12-06T14:39:00.004-06:00

I've been listening to my Amy Grant Christmas CD like it's my job! Mainly because it has one of my all time favorite songs on there..."Breath of Heaven" (And probably has something to do with the fact that we haven't had a TV in our living room since we've moved...house is a little quiet without a little music at least!)

Anyway, having had Zay during the Christmas season 2 years ago (yes...TWO years ago...I can hardly believe it!) I will never forget my first Christmas Eve, holding my tiny newborn, only 8 days old and in complete awe of Mary, Jesus's mom.

This song describes so many raw emotions that stirred in my heart two Christmases ago, and almost each and every day since.

Almost daily, I think about God specifically choosing ME to be Isaiah's mommy.

Quite frankly, most of the time this job scares the bajeepers out of me!

Isaiah is a precious little child of God, who has been entrusted to Shane and I to raise him to know and love the Lord, AND, to do so among all the challenges set before us and Zay.

Wow.

This "load" to bear can certainly frighten me on my best days!

The littlest things like - feeding Zay can be so overwhelming to me. I certainly understand his diet by now, but still feel so lost when it comes to knowing how and when to be concerned with nutrition. A lot of Zay's "low protein" foods are highly processed. He eats a lot of fruits and veggies, should I be buying organic? Do I need to need to plant my own garden to teach Zay where his food comes from? And most of all I'm vividly aware that I need to change a lot of my own eating habits to set a correct example for Zay taking care of his body.

Then there is discipline. Any parent of a little 2 year old boy understands that there NEEDS to be some sort of strategy for disciplining, because they will push the boundaries! What's the correct method? How do we show grace, but yet have Zay understand consequences?

How about values, character, morals? Will Zay simply absorb the values Shane and I present everyday and never question why we act the way we do. And are WE presenting the correct character traits in the correct ways that Zay will be able to understand and imitate them correctly?

Then comes the speech challenge. Oh man, this one lays heavy on my heart these days. I've cried out to God many a time...why do we have to have this challenge too? Haven't we gone through enough with Zay in his short two years? Hasn't HE been though enough challenges? Why must something as simple a speaking be so hard for him?

What about the school we choose or not choose, the doctors we take him to, the family/friends we reach out to or don't reach out to, the experiences we allow him to have or prevent him from having, the things we do or don't say in front of him...in my naive little eyes there are SO many ways for me to screw this parenting thing up...

Then I think of Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

I find great comfort in this truth!

I still have moments that lead me to question myself, but I KNOW that I'm raising a son of God and HE is guiding my decisions!

I pray: Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior and my hope is in you all day long! Psalm 25:4-5.

Lord, "I offer all I am, for the mercy of your plan!"

Breath of Heaven

I have traveled many moonless nights,

Cold and weary with a babe inside,

And I wonder what I've done.

Holy father you have come,

And chosen me now to carry your son.

I am waiting in a silent prayer.

I am frightened by the load I bear.

In a world as cold as stone,

Must I walk this path alone?

Be with me now.

Breath of heaven,

Hold me together,

Be forever near me,

Breath of heaven.

Breath of heaven,

Lighten my darkness,

Pour over me your holiness,

For you are holy.

Breath of heaven.

Do you wonder as you watch my face,

If a wiser one should have had my place,

But I offer all I am

For the mercy of your plan.

Help me be strong.

Help me be.

Help me.

Breath of heaven,

Hold me together,

Be forever near me,

Breath of heaven.

Breath of heaven,

Lighten my darkness,

Pour over me your holiness,

For you are holy.

Breath of heaven,

Hold me together,

Be forever near me,

Breath of heaven.

Breath of heaven,

Lighten my darkness,

Pour over me your holiness,

For you are holy.

Breath of heaven.

Breath of heaven

Pinterest Projects!

2011-12-04T14:46:00.007-06:00

I'll unashamedly admit it ...I LOVE Pinterest!

There are SO many great ideas on there. Even my husband will find some of the ideas really exhilarating!

I have not quite a zillion projects pinned that I would LOVE to try...not to mention I'm certain I could put together our family's dream home with all the decorating and storage and built-in ideas I've found!

So...one of the perks of my new full-time job...naptime to do mommy-things! Yay!

Below are a couple of my Pinterest projects!

A new tree skirt for our Christmas tree! Love it!

An up-close look at the tree-skirt.

(Source)

DIY canvas print! Not perfect...but super cool and cheap!

(Source)

A banana for my little monkey!

2011-12-01T15:49:00.002-06:00

At home with Mommy

2011-11-30T12:42:00.004-06:00

Zay and I have been having a GREAT time at home together! We've done all kinds of fun things!

Ready to head out for a walk! (before it got so cold out!)

Dancing to a little Christmas music...while in our pj's!

Wearing a special t-shirt while talking about our old babysitter Lori who gave it to us!

Lots and lots of giggling!

Eating lunch together!

Playing a matching game together!

Cooking dinner together.

Getting ready for the day together. He's doing his hair like he sees daddy doing his hair!

Taking off our clothes...

2011-11-30T12:38:00.004-06:00

It's no secret that our little boy prefers to be naked. He RUNS around the house in his birthday suit before bath-time, giggling as loud as can be.

A few weeks back he went through a phase of actually trying to take his clothes off by himself. Thankfully, we've moved past that! Maybe it's the cold weather that has changed his mind?

At Papa Jim's!

2011-11-30T12:33:00.003-06:00

These pictures are from earlier in November - but I'm just now getting around to posting them. Zay absolutely LOVES riding the 4-wheelers at Papa Jim and Grandma Becky's house! We love it too! :)

Missing our friends from Waterloo!

2011-11-30T12:27:00.003-06:00

A couple of pics found on my phone......makes us miss ALL of our friends back in the 'Loo!

The Duncan boys!

Our friend Lindsay! Zay LOVES to flirt with her! :)

Zay gets stitches...

2011-11-28T20:11:00.004-06:00

Well a week or so ago we had our first experience with stitches. Nothing major...and it actually turned out to only be ONE stitch...but it was a stitch all the same! Zay managed to let a electric heater (not on) fall over on his little foot.

Like always he is such a little toughy. Once he stopped crying, he actually started walking on it again. However, once I took a look at how deep the cut was, and how black and blue his foot was turning, I just wasn't comfortable without having a doctor take a look at it.

Thankfully, because Zay is still so young most of the little bones in his foot are still cartilage. Therefore - no broken bones! :)

Tomorrow his one little stitch comes out! That little boy keeps his mama hopping...all. the. time!

I'll show this pic first...all fixed up - and he was excited to have his paci even though it wasn't bedtime...along with Daddy's hat! Life is all better again!

The little papoose they strapped Zay into while he got stitched up...

And the sore toe...

Decorating the Christmas tree...

2011-11-23T13:24:00.002-06:00

My little Christmas tree decorator! He has a knack for ornament placement!!! Love him! :)

The ultimate imitation...

2011-11-16T20:04:00.003-06:00

Each day Zay finds someway to make us laugh. Usually it is because he LOVES to imitate anything and everything we do.

For example, whenever I tell Zay it is ok to get out of timeout, he knows that I crouch down and talk to him about what he did wrong, ask him to say sorry, and give me a hug and kiss. So now, regardless if I crouch down on my knees, Zay will come up to me after he is done in timeout, and crouch down as if he's too tall to look me in the eye while standing. It just makes me smile!

Now, tonight...the ultimate imitation happened. Shane and Zay had gone downstairs to workout. (Which Zay likes to do pushups, situps and squats just like his Daddy...and his variations are so cute to watch!) So, once they were done, they came upstairs to shower. Shane strips Zay down, so he's toddling around naked. Shane proceeds to get ready for a shower...by going to the bathroom. Zay toddles into the bathroom, walks behind Shane, peaks around to see what Daddy's doing and then proceeds to once again imitate his Daddy by peeing all over the bathroom floor.

Hmmmm...once again, I suppose this is a sign we should start working on the potty training thing!

Oh how I love my little Zay. He just keeps me smiling each and every day!

Hearts at Home

2011-11-11T08:28:00.008-06:00

Last weekend I attended a 'mom conference' with the girls from my small group (well technically since we moved, we aren't in a small group anymore {tear!}). I thoroughly enjoyed the conference and it was a great way to start off my 'career' as a stay at home mom!

I thought I would jot down my notes here, so they are all in one location and maybe some other moms would get a little inspiration out of reading them!

Morning Main Session - Jennifer Rothschild

*A little background on Jennifer: Jennifer became blind at the age of 15. She went to college and learned to live independently. She is married and has raised two boys. This gal is truly beautiful - inside and out! She was my favorite speaker of the entire conference. Her perseverance and faith are incredible. If you would like to read more about her you can check out her website here: www.jenniferrothschild.com. Notes from her session...

"Blind" is such as STRONG word, it carries so much weight with it. It's like divorce or cancer. You don't put a lot of weight on these words until it hits you personally, and you think "I can't believe that's my word!". This was a huge realization for me...thinking "PKU" is our family's word.
It doesn't have to be well with your circumstances to be well with your soul!
Allow your child to face their fears, by this they will be able to see God grace and the power of their faith.
Because God gave me the burden of (fill in the blank), he also gave me the grace to carry that burden.
When your child is going through something difficult or has a special circumstance/disorder, remember that God has given them "participant grace". It is just enough grace to allow them to get through it. What you as a parent has is "spectator grace", which is just enough grace to allow you to watch what is happening. And most importantly, don't assume that the sorrow you carry is the same weight they carry...God's grace is sufficient!!! (This really hit home with me! Mothering a child with PKU and seeing how unfair everything seems is extremely difficult at times. This was so freeing for me to hear...that Zay doesn't necessarily feel what I feel as his mother! And God's grace will get us both through!)

Workshop #1 - Jill Savage (founder of Hearts at Home)

*Ten Stress Strategies Every Mom Needs:

When you are stressed you are emotionally unavailable to your family.

Take a day off - refuel and be intentional.
Increase margin (aka white space in your life) - protect the downtime.
Learn to say "no" - learn to handle adult pear pressure and don't compare yourself to others. YOU alone know what is best for you and your family. NEVER say yes on the spot. REMEMBER, I am capable, but am I called?
Take care of your body - rest, nutrition, exercise!
Expect interruptions - if you expect them, they won't upset you as much!
Proactively refuel - what is your fuel? (connecting with friends, running, being alone, relaxing, shopping) A great idea for this - The first 30 minutes after Daddy gets home from work, mommy takes some "me time".
Choose the important over the urgent. In most cases the important=people and the urgent=tasks. Example: you are reading your child a book and your phone rings...do you run to get your phone? In most cases the phone call can WAIT until you have finished with your child...they are IMPORTANT!
Step away (sometimes we need a breather!)
Ask for help - AND use words to do so. Our family cannot guess what we need help with and don't wait until you are boiling over to SCREAM for help!
Talk to Jesus - last, but most important!

Workshop #2 - Jill Savage (founder of Hearts at Home)

*First Time Moms

Lower the expectations - don't compare your insides to other mom's outsides. (basically you can't judge a book by it's cover)
Allow more time to accomplish ANYTHING - don't just create a "to do" list, instead create a "got done" list as well. It's important to know that you accomplished things throughout your day...and good things at that (reading a book to your child, laundry, changing diapers, dinner, etc) And, ALWAYS double your prep time!
Enjoy this "never to be returned to you" season!
Capture memories!
Listen to you child with your eyes - focus on what they are saying to you, don't multitask as much and give them your FULL attention. (Same goes for your husband!)
Consider motherhood a career.
Trust yourself.
Take care of yourself - self care is NOT selfish!
Cut yourself some slack.
Get out once a week. (time for yourself)
Find a mom's group.
Stop the comparisons.
Be intentional - set goals for yourself and your kids.
Keep your marriage a priority - wife 1st, mother 2nd.
Have a daily date with your husband. 15 minutes every day for the two of you...BEFORE the kids go to bed. Allow you kids to see that your relationship is important and to be respected. (Questions to ask: How was your day? What is your agenda for this evening?)
Ask for help. Accept help. - Don't EVER let someone else be denied from serving God and his people!
Be the parent.
Connect your real mom experiences with the real Jesus.
Schedule sex - sound silly, but can keep both happy.
Be a "there you are person", not a "here I am person". Initiate!
Weekly or bi-weekly dates - put them on the calendar and they don't have to cost anything!
Annual getaway! Anniversary celebration or other time.

Workshop #3 - Yvette Maher

*Get R.E.A.L. in Your Marriage

Remember the triangle: In order to move closer to your spouse you must move closer to God.
Do you want to BE right more than you want to DO right?
Obedience proceeds emotion.
10 ways to protect your marriage:

Prayer
Communication
Identify expectations - real vs. unreal
Manage your emotions
List your "manna" - thankful for your husband
Own your part
Learn to relinquish
Keep molehills in their proper size
Discover each others contributions
Cover everything in prayer

Workshop #4 - Tammy Maltby

*Lifegiving Hospitality...Start Simply but Simply Start

Being hospitable is giving a message to someone about their value to you!
Your home and food are tools God has given you for hospitality!
People my never remember if you had an immaculate house, but they will never forget how you made them feel!
Hospitality is about connecting!
Understand the value of fellowship!
To be a good host, be who you are.
Remember to serve your family first.
Practice, practice, practice!
Don't compare!
B.U.S.Y. = Being Under Satan's Yolk
Do not apologize for your house - it is what it is...when you focus on the mess, you aren't focusing on the people!
Choose to love people.
Plan ahead, so you can be spontaneous.
If you can't bring people into your home, find other ways to reach out and give to God's people!

Afternoon Main Session - Jill Savage (founder of Hearts at Home)

Song - My Anchor Holds
Love is a choice, not a feeling; Love is a verb; Love is transforming; Love is counter-intuitive; Love is unconditional!
When your child spills milk, he does not need a lecture - he needs a rag! Show your children it is OK to make mistakes.
We can change the heritage of our children and our grandchildren - remember that!

Goodbye...215 Derbyshire

2011-11-10T07:38:00.003-06:00

Well, we just keep on trucking along making new changes for our family and in our life. One of which - we moved! We are now renting a townhome in Mechanicsville, Iowa and getting used to small town life. That's a post for another day!

For today...a little farewell to our home in Waterloo. It's been such a wonderful home to us, and the place where we brought our little Zay home from the hospital to. I dearly loved this home, but I know with all my heart that our 'home' is where we are all together as a family! Shane, Zay, Bailey and Bongo...that's who make my house a home! :)

And for the memory books - some pics of our old house!

Coffee?

2011-11-03T09:34:00.001-05:00

Good Morning, Mom...can I get you a cup of coffee? :)

Happy Halloween...from Clifford the Big Red Dog!

2011-10-30T04:49:00.001-05:00

Reading...

2011-10-28T13:20:00.003-05:00

What? I'm just reading...

The first week...

2011-10-28T05:01:00.002-05:00

Well, we've made it to Friday...and without any major catastrophes might I add! Just jotting down some random thoughts about my first week as a stay at home mom...

-Zay is REALLY fun to hang out with all day long! I feel like we've bonded! :)

-Zay can also be a handful and a headache. We've had quite a lot of timeouts and testing the limits this week.

-Zay is the happiest in the morning. When he wakes up refreshed from a full night's sleep, it's a ton of fun to just play and read and hangout with him!

-My house is no cleaner than it was when I was working...however the dishes are done and laundry is caught up. Yea!!!

-I notice what our neighbors are doing all day long...I'm not trying to notice - it just so happens that I'm around to see what goes down in our neighborhood throughout the day. Thankfully nothing more than a little house remodeling and taking walks!

-It's actually HARD for me to take a nap during the day. Although I'm exhausted because Zay is still waking up crazy early each morning, I feel like when Zay is down for a nap I need to hurry up and do anything I want to do before he wakes up!

-It's a great feeling when Shane gets home, we eat dinner, clean up, and there are still HOURS to hangout and just relax as a family.

-And I'm not really sure how we all got fed most days/nights when I was working. Actually making nice dinners for BOTH Zay and us is WORK...but I'm enjoying it for the most part!

-Daytime TV isn't worth watching. I haven't had the TV on too much, but I'm even disappointed in the Today Show. How many times can you see segments on fall fashion?

-I think I much prefer doing a little laundry everyday, rather than letting it stack up into unmanageable piles and tackling it all in 2 days!

-I need a schedule! I like lists and knowing what I need to accomplish for the day. I've gotten plenty done each day, but somehow I need to figure out a routine for us.

-And most of all I've found that our home truly is where my heart is. Shane made the comment last night that it is fun for him to see me in this new role - he said I looked like I was in my element. That's always a nice thing to hear when you are starting something new and unknown!

I'm so thankful that God put the role of being a mother in my life and on my heart, and that Shane has encouraged me to fulfill it. What a huge blessing and not one I take for granted!

A little walk...

2011-10-27T15:36:00.002-05:00

Today was a great day for a walk! Zay and I had quite a fun time being out and about in the neighborhood!

Getting ready to go...I told Zay he had to wear a hat since it was a little chilly outside...he went and found his UNI hat, and was walking around with it on top of his head...

Our walk started out with eating an afternoon snack...apples!

Towards the end of our walk, Zay was needing a little more entertainment. So we started to gather leaves - all different shapes, sizes and colors!!! Zay was like a manual-mulch machine...he would tear each leaf into tiny pieces.

Zay - bringing it home for me! Once we got to the driveway, Zay got to push the stroller to the garage.

After our walk we played in the backyard for awhile. Zay was testing me...he'd go to the back of our yard, take off his hat...then he'd put his hat back on before he'd come back to me. Most of the time his hat would be pulled over his eyes on his way back!

A final farewell to INVISION Architecture

2011-10-19T13:04:00.006-05:00

..."beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it's the middle that counts the most."

-Hope Floats

Yesterday was my last day as a working mom.

Oh man...it was harder than I thought it was going to be! I was so sad to leave there for the last time.

I feel so blessed to have worked for such a great company for the last 4+ years. I've built some great friendships and will miss seeing everyone so much!

I can't believe how much they spoiled me during my last week!

I enjoyed not one but TWO farewell lunches...one of which was a celebration with the entire office! Coffee at Cottonwood Canyon with my boss on my last day. Multiple treats at breaktime! And even gifts!

So many people said so many kind words, which makes it so hard to leave. But an email from my husband brought me back to the reason for the change..."You will be missed there by everyone, but their loss is Zay and my gain. I love you."

A final picture with me and (most) of the crew! (Notice the conference table...yes that is a makeshift ping pong table - that is how fun our office is!)

Our administrative team out to lunch.

A picture with one of my favorite coworkers - Hovey!

Hovey is one of the original partners of the firm. He is 85 years old and still comes to work EVERY day! (Before we moved to our new office, he WALKED 10 flights of stairs to get to our office everyday!) He is an amazing guy and I hope that when I'm in my 80s, I am still skiing, running, working, and making a huge difference to the people around me like he has!!! His words to me...

Jackee – I have more “thanks” to give you than you can ever have for me. How many times have you fixed my computer problems? Let’s see:

4 years x 10 months x 20 days x 7.50 hours = 6,000 hours you were there to solve my problems. So I have at least 6,000 hours to thank you for. It was great to have you here.

I wish you good luck in your new situation and know you will make to most of it.

Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank

( you get my response to your stay with us)

And on my last day my coworkers gave me this framed art...hard to see but everyone's picture is on there and it says:

"We can no other answer make, but thanks and thanks." - William Shakespeare

Grateful to have worked there, thankful to have met so many fabulous people, and excited to stay in touch with everyone!

Farewell INVISION!!

22 Month Update!

2011-10-16T13:00:00.010-05:00

I have been meaning to write a little update on Zay for months now, but somehow time just keeps getting away from me! Sorry this is such a long post, but I want to try to get all the fun little memories down while they are fresh in my mind!

Isaiah James – you are getting to be such an independent little boy. And where did the time go...you are closing in on your 2nd birthday! You continue to figure out your fabulous little world one day at a time. I love your innocence, your smile, your charm, your curiosity, your humor and your determination.

You are fantastic at sharing – but it is usually with the dogs, so you get in trouble for this. The dogs make you SO happy, but usually make Mommy SO frustrated. All three of you get in cahoots together and some days it’s all I can do to stay sane.

You continue to be such a happy little boy. There just isn’t a lot that gets you down. Even when you get in trouble and have to go stand in the corner (timeout), you do so willingly. We generally will give you a warning that you are doing something you shouldn’t and if you don’t listen we say “Corner!”, and off you trot! I’m amazed how HARD it is to discipline you consistently, however I can already see the rewards we have reaped because of our consistency. A lot of times it is hard for me to keep a straight face while correcting you. And it hardly seems fair that I laugh at you and then discipline you for doing it! Somehow we have found a good balance and Mommy is continually working on her maturity as well! Overall, I think you are growing up to be a very polite and well-mannered little boy.

Some other things that you have been up to, is talking. At least more than you were a few months ago! Recently your coined phrases include:

“my daddy” (about the only thing you are really possessive over is your daddy)

“mama, dada, mama, dada” (you will say this constantly until one of us comes and looks at what you have done or what you want to do)

“daddy vroom” (meaning, daddy drives)

“mama vroom” (mommy drives)

“Vroom” (tractor, train, big truck, semi)

“Bailey – haha!” (somehow everything Bailey does is really funny to you)

“Ball!” (you can spot a ball anywhere, and if it’s round it’s considered a ball. It’s clearly your favorite thing to be on the lookout for, and you get so excited when you find anything round!)

“Ball-ball” (This means football, because we watch football 24/7 in our house!)

“Thank you” (This isn’t recent or new, but you say it all the time without being told…accomplishment if you ask me!)

Side Note: Zay’s words are still not where they should be, but he is gaining more everyday and I’m so proud of him! I literally think he learns a new word each day. I’m realizing that Zay is definitely Shane and my child. If any of you know either of our histories, you probably wouldn’t be surprised to know that Zay doesn’t say a lot of words correctly or even at all. Shane had a speech impediment when he was young, and only said about 5 letters of the alphabet correctly when he entered kindergarten. Meeting him as an adult, you would NEVER guess this. And I, well I didn’t say any words when I was young, not because I couldn’t but because I was shy. I was hoping that maybe we would skip this challenge with Zay, but I’ve come to terms that this will be a little bit of a challenge for us. (Like we can’t handle a challenge or ten!) Overall, Zay just doesn’t talk a lot, and when he does say some phrases you have to know what he’s talking about because a lot of the time it really doesn’t sound anything at all like what it is supposed to. I will be meeting with our AEA teacher this Friday and she is giving me some suggestions on when we should get a Speech Pathologist involved. In my opinion it will be sooner rather than later in order to give Zay as much of a head start on learning how to say things correctly as we can. In the past I’ve been told we need to wait until he is at least 2, so we will see!

Despite the fact that you don’t say many words, you are as smart as a whip! It’s amazing the ways you can communicate without saying anything! You use your creativity to get your point across, which is quite impressive. Generally, you only have to be shown a new sign once and have it mastered the next time! We haven't introduced too many new signs, because we want you to speak, but I think you would rather use sign language in all cases. And I would say that you throws less temper-tantrums than most kids your age, which is surprising to me because you don’t even use language which is how most kids work through their frustrations. I think you completely understand almost everything we are saying. You follow multiple-step directions, and like to help out whenever and wherever you can! Your problem solving skills amaze me…and scare me! You are not afraid to do anything and anytime! Gives me a heart attack some days!

Potty time…well, we aren’t really there yet. But you did pee on the potty a month ago! Surprised us both! You thought it was the funniest thing and laughed so hard when mommy yelped in surprise to your little stream spraying all over! I hope I’m not ruining our ‘window of opportunity’, but I haven’t pushed this at all yet. I’m really just waiting until we are home fulltime together. I feel like I can be more consistent then. Right now, diapers are easy and they make me think you are still my little baby! Ha!

Outside time – wow, you LOVE to be outside!! It is a battle to get you inside when we get home from work/daycare! You chase after the dogs in the backyard, then want to swing, then want to sit at the patio table, our outside activities never ends! You love to be outdoors, and on beautiful days like today I just can’t blame you!

This leads to another favorite. Baths and showers…generally necessary because of massive amounts of outside time. Daddy and Mommy talk in a secret code around home. We are VERY careful when speaking of taking a bath or shower. Generally as soon as those words are spoken you are running to the bathroom and taking off your clothes! Hard not to love a little boy that likes to be clean!

Praying – we pray before dinner each night and you love to partake! You clasp your hands and hold them proudly above your head so everyone can see that you are praying. The other day, we were having breakfast together and Grandma Judy joined us at the table, but she wasn’t eating. I asked you if you would like to pray with me, and you quickly folded your hands and we began to pray. Suddenly you stopped us, and scowled at Grandma Judy because she wasn’t praying with us!!! Watch out people! If you are going to sit at our table you are going to have to pray…EVERYONE prays in this house! :)

Reading - I'm still amazed at how long you can sit still and let us (or insist that we) read a book. It’s the first thing you run to go get in the morning. This is another thing that will be so nice when we are home together – we won’t be rushed to read our books in the mornings! We can just read, read, read, and then read some more! Fine by me! My new favorite saying is "Children are made readers on the laps of their parents", makes me think of you and your love of books!

TV - Zay = big fan of the TV; Mom = not a big fan of the fact that Zay is a big fan of the TV! We limit the time you watch tv, but wowzers – you sure like your Sesame Street! You can tune out every other thing if that show is on. For this reason, I’m hoping that when we move, we will have a separate family room to put our gigantic TV in, so we won’t be so tempted to even turn it on during the day. And dare I say we skip getting cable in our new home…….? I’m not for sure, but it’s been discussed! HGTV and ESPN we will miss you, not to mention DVR! Don’t worry Zay, we should still be able to get Sesame Street! Eeek!

I can’t think of too many other things at the moment, but everyday is an incredible adventure with you, Zay. Never a dull moment! You make me smile each and every day. And at the end of the day you still like to cuddle before bedtime and are a champ about going to bed! We still a regular early morning risers, but like Daddy says - you are just excited to hang out with us each morning! :) Love you, Zay-Zay!!!

So long, folks!

Prayers for a stranger…

2011-10-12T20:25:00.002-05:00

I’m all shook up. And I don’t mean in the kind of Elvis singing shook up way. I mean in the kind of way that I just witnessed a man laying on the ground minutes after he took a jump from the 3rd tier of a parking ramp in an attempt to commit suicide.

It’s funny how to some this will be just another news day in Waterloo. But today will undoubtedly influence me for some time to come. I observed so much in 15 minutes that it is hard for me to even put it into words.

I mostly learned about people.

I learned that there are people that will run to the nearest business to get help for an unaided man laying helplessly on a sidewalk.

I also learned that there can be a half a dozen people that will walk right past a debilitated man laying on the sidewalk, as if he weren't even there.

I learned that there are people that have the comprehension to call 911 in an emergency and stay calm and collected while providing whatever information they can discern.

I also learned that there are some people that will watch from the sidelines, unable to fully absorb the situation.

I learned there are people that will hold the hand of a stranger while he is hurting, helpless, and alone.

I also learned that there are people who won't come within an arms reach of a person in severe pain and who appears to have life issues.

I learned that there are people who will be overcome with emotion when moments of tragedy strike and chaos begins.

And I learned that there are people in this world who may not have the hope that I have in Jesus. People are desperate. People are fragile. People are helpless. People are in pain. And people are alone.

The entire situation made me think...next time I am walking by someone on the street – maybe all they need is a smile and maybe I can say just a little prayer for that person. Because you never know where they are at. They could be standing on the edge, ready to jump and you could be the difference for them...

Please pray for my stranger-friend.

Kisses

2011-10-09T20:40:00.002-05:00

I LOVE...

getting and giving kisses from a cute little red-headed boy, named Zay! :)

Graham Crackers!

2011-10-04T12:22:00.001-05:00

Last weekend I made Zay some homemade graham crackers! He loves them, and they are an easy snack! I think next time, I'll make more and keep a stash in the freezer for him!

My cutting skills aren't great...very uneven crackers!

Fresh out of the oven.

And ready to cool and then eat!

PKU Cooking Class - 2011

2011-10-02T14:22:00.003-05:00

Last year we attended a cooking class to learn some tips, tricks, and tactics to cook lo-pro style! In case you don't remember - Zay looked like this....

Well this year we attended another one, and it was nice because Zay actually is old enough to eat the food we were cooking. Plus, this year's speakers/presenters had much more kid-friendly recipes for us to cook.

We made everything from a basic fruit salad, to yummy pumpkin donuts (baked, not fried...a little bit better for ya, right! Ha!)

We also made a cranberry dish that will go along with our Thanksgiving meal, and a fabulous squash dish. Plus, garlic bread that was AMAZING! Every single one of the dishes we made was fantastic and could easily be made for the entire family, not just the PKUer in the family. Lastly, we sampled some strawberry-mango ice cream - yumo!

Shane and Zay...during the nutritionist's presentation.

Smiling after trying some tasty food!

We received a cookbook for free since we attended the Lo-Pro Cooking Day, and then we bought Gina's first cookbook as well.

Some other random notes I took during the dietitian's presentation...

-90% of PKUer's protein is from their medical food and formula

-Simple carbs, are less nutritious, however have low phe. Complex carbs which are better for most of us have higher phe, so not as common in the PKU diet.

-Fats provide more energy that any other food and protects the body from colds and illness. Fats aren't all bad!

-Canola oil is better than olive oil, because it contains both omega 6 and omega 3, whereas olive oil only contains omega 3. These oils also contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats which are the good fats...unlike saturated fats.

-Trans fat = BAD...ok, we already knew that!

-Phytochemicals - part of fruits and veggies that help protect against heart disease and cancer.

-Trace metals help the body run smoothly (found in soil, so these are found in fruits/veggies that grow in the soil)

-www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org - website to check out!

Zay is 21 Months!!!

2011-09-24T12:15:00.005-05:00

I can hardly believe that Zay is closing in on 2 years old! Amazing!

I decided to give Zay's pictures a try myself this time around. I have so much to still learn about taking pictures, but overall I'm happy with capturing this moment in his life!

Enjoy the pics! :)

Hanson's Dairy Farm

2011-09-22T21:01:00.007-05:00

A few Sunday's ago, Zay and I went and watched Daddy play his weekly basketball games. One of the guys Shane plays with is one of the Hanson brother's from Hanson's Dairy Farm. Our favorite place to get our milk and ice cream!!! We were lucky enough to get invited out to the farm and get our very own personal tour...so much fun!

Checking out how they do the milking. I haven't been to a farm in a long time and this was so much different than what I remember...lots easier!

A new set of cows coming in...this mama was very friendly!

Another area of the farm...up close and person with the cows!

Trying to get a picture with the cow...

The calves were so cute! This was the newest one born, still not great at walking!

Zay checking things out!

Squealing with excitement!

The big row of mama's! All of these cows were going to have their babies within 30 days. Amazing!

This poor cow had fallen and couldn't get up. We gave her some love!

And we can't forget the wallabies! Did you know that these animals can be house trained? This one here was raised in the house for years!

Playing at the Park

2011-09-22T20:06:00.004-05:00

Before the weather cooled down, we were making regular trips to all the parks around our house. I swear Zay could swing for HOURS! And when he's done with that he could go down the slide 100 times over. It's so great to see the pure joy he gets out of playing!

Just like Daddy...

2011-09-22T19:55:00.004-05:00

I used to think I was Shane's biggest fan. But...I'm fairly certain I've been out done! Zay LOVES his Daddy and wants to do everything just like him...right down to wearing Daddy's socks!

Both come from God

2011-09-13T17:17:00.000-05:00

My blogging has lacked consistency lately. Life has been a little extreme for Shane, Zay and I.

There are so many things that I want to write down and ‘get off my chest’, hoping that it will help me breathe. Thoughts that would even be therapeutic to have them down on paper and not just in my head. However, sometimes the dealings in our life are just too intimate for me to share with the entire world.

Too emotional, too fresh and too sensitive to put out there for the world to size up and determine if we’ve accurately handled each situation correctly. Circumstances that leave me exhausted are looming over my spirit. My optimism has been tested to its limit. And it has failed me.

I have seen firsthand the power of God. Power that has led our life to be twisted, turned and torn into a tailspin over the past couple weeks. A hurricane of events that leaves me wondering where to start picking up the pieces.

I have also seen the influence of Satin. Negative thinking beyond what I can bare at times.

Being led back to God after questioning Him, and why so many unfortunate circumstances can happen in such a short amount of time, is humbling. I don’t sense that we are through the storm yet, but we are getting there. And because God has provided me with a strong foundation of faith, I know I will see the beautiful sunshine again and appreciate it all the more having been through the storm.

Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.
-Ecclesiastes 7:14

Just call me Betty Crocker...

2011-08-28T16:19:00.004-05:00

This weekend I did some serious PKU cooking! Let's just say - some recipes were easier than others!

Homemade Bread - I think I almost have the recipe memorized, easy peasy!

Blueberry muffins - no problemo!

Some peeled & sliced apples, ready to be made into homemade applesauce!

The yummiest (that's a word, right?) applesauce EVER! So thankful for a coworker's free apples to make this!

And then there were the veggie nuggets......

I am certain I have never spent this much time on any recipe I've ever made...PKU or not. The recipe calls for 17 different ingredients...(some of which, are special ordered, ie: egg replacer, wheat starch, low protein bread, etc)

The directions advise 90 minutes of hand-on time and 40 minutes of cook time. Hmmm...somehow it ended up taking me over 2 hours throughout 2 days...before cooking!

At least the instructions were detailed, involving things like:

measuring each ingredient out in grams
peel, boil, and mash potatoes, while adding in various other ingredients
caramelizing onions.......for 40 minutes!
roasting carrots in the oven for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 and adding garlic during the last 15 minute stirring
using the food processor to make a paste-like consistency of carrots, garlic and caramelized onions
balling each nugget, then forming them into a 'nugget' shape
freezing the nuggets before you can put the breading on them...so once you have all the dishes cleaned you have to get the food processor back out to make the breading, so fun

Zay hasn't tried these yet, however I'm certain he will LOVE them and I will spend many hours perfecting this recipe...maybe one day it will only take me 90 minutes to prepare!

Roasted carrots, garlic and caramelized onions

The 'guts' of the nuggets...kind of like a paste consistency.

My best attempt at forming the 'nugget shape'

And finally with the breading!

And my helper with all the cooking!

Motherhood Is Application

2011-08-27T19:11:00.003-05:00

A friend of mine posted a link to this article on her blog, and I couldn't help but pass it along!

The last couple days Zay has...

Broken a jar of pickles all over the entire kitchen floor (of course, as we were supposed to be walking out the door)
Developed a bad diaper rash that causes him to dance around and pull his diaper nearly off
Took a chair over to our kitchen sink, climbed up, and spilled water all over the kitchen
Constantly fed our dogs his time-consuming/expensive food, encouraging them to beg and steal food from him!
Become completely picky - wanting only Daddy (most of the time), unless he wants Mommy, then he ONLY wants Mommy
And the best one yet...discovered his favorite hangout place is in the bathroom...Ahem, playing IN the toilet!

My favorite part of the article:

This is a time to take the grace that God has extended to you, and feed your children with it. Apply what you believe about God’s mercy and kindness and long suffering towards us, and pour it out to them — in a form they can believe in.

Enjoy!

Motherhood is Application

Prayers for Patrick

2011-08-19T15:46:00.004-05:00

Have you ever listened to the words of Laura Story's song Blessings?

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

I heard this song on the radio today, and it hit me. Mainly because of Shane's day at work yesterday.

Shane ate breakfast with his coworker, Patrick, before they began to participate in a company celebration day. This was a day to play games, win prizes, and connect with coworkers.

Shane and Patrick talked football, and discussed his kid's first day of school - all of them elementary aged. They also talked about how Patrick had been notified he would be losing his job soon. He was on the hunt for a new position, either at Pearson or elsewhere. Basically a normal conversation you would have during breakfast.

A couple hours later after one of the activities, Shane was running to get water because the man he had just had a conversation with was having some sort of attack, probably a heart attack.

He passed away not long afterwards.

Shane ended up working late last night to finish up a project. He told me, when he walked to his car he thought it was odd because he was the last to leave the building, but there was two cars in the parking lot.

Shane assumed it was Patrick's, but found out later that it wasn't.

Regardless, Patrick wouldn't be driving home to see his wife. Or to ask his kids how their first day of school was.

Shane called me at work to tell me about this. I haven't stopped thinking and praying for his his family since. I cannot image being the wife that gets a phone call like that. I'm sure Patrick's wife can't imagine it either.

If you have a second today, please send up a prayer for Patrick's family.

Clean vs Dirty

2011-08-19T14:54:00.019-05:00

I can't really complain...

Lately, I've caught Isaiah getting something out, and then diligently putting it back where he found it!

He knows his toys go in his toybox, his dishes go in his cupboard, his diapers go in the trash, his laundry goes in the basket, his books go on the shelf, etc, etc, etc...

Last night as I was clearing off the dinner table, I noticed Isaiah getting in the silverware drawer.

I watched as he took a spoon, went back to his dinner plate (which he had hardly ate anything off of), climbed up onto his chair, and ate with his BIG BOY spoon!

A few minutes later, he gets down - goes over to the drawer and puts the spoon away.

Hmmm...my advice to you - ALWAYS check before eating off our dishes.

Up to no good...

2011-08-17T12:44:00.000-05:00

1Peter 1:6-7

2011-08-10T12:32:00.010-05:00

I knew the day would come.

Remember a few weeks ago when I was singing praises on how well Zay takes his thyroid medicine? I knew he would one day come to realize that chewing up a dry, chalky-tasting pill isn’t as exhilarating as he once thought.

It happened one day, earlier this week. I decided to handle the situation with a clever little approach…something called DISTRACTION. Toddlers are an easy target for this! Get them excited and entertained and then sneakily make your move! And what do you know - it worked! Phew! However, right after I won the first victory, I was already dreading the next day. Because if you know my boy, you know he might let you fool him once….but he’s quick. He WILL find you out. There is no tip-toeing around him!

So the following day. I grab his little pill, I start to approach him and as I do he plops his little bottom onto the floor, tosses his head back onto the carpet and throws an all-out tantrum. I simply walk away, while holding my composure. I was tempted to laugh at the response I got from him when I was just thinking about giving him his pill. "Pardon me, for not serving it to you on a gold platter, Isaiah James Austerman..."

About 30 minutes later, I attempt the pill-taking process again. Only this time I’m feeling much more confident and convinced that we WILL get the job done…tantrum or not.

Once again, Zay greets me with a firm headshake (no) and a frown. I calmly kneel down beside him, look into his sad little eyes and try to explain (in one-year old terms) how he needs to take his medicine because it will keep him healthy. Then I tell him that he needs to either take his medicine or he will have to stand in timeout. (I’m feeling incredibly guilty as I make this ultimatum…for goodness sakes, most kids get in trouble for not trying their broccoli at the dinner table – not exactly the same level of necessity…) Nevertheless, I had resolved that this was simply a non-negotiable situation in Zay’s life. Fair or not, it is just how it is. And because of that, he needs to obey.

So, off to the corner we go. And that’s where we stayed. For over 10 minutes! (that’s a long time in a one-year old’s life! Zay normally gets the point of timeout in about 30 seconds!) And the funniest part…Zay didn’t even fight me on staying in the corner. About every minute that passed, I would kneel down and ask him if he was ready to take his medicine. He would shake his head no, and I would tell him to turn around and face the wall. And he would follow my directions perfectly. Standing there, picking his little fingers on the wall’s surface, just waiting for me to ask him to turn around and look at me again.

I have to admit, I was heartbroken to have to punish Zay for not taking his medicine. But I just didn’t have the right answer on how to make him understand the importance of this little pill. Eventually, Zay came around. He let me pop the pill in his mouth and with a frown that took over his entire face, he ate the pill, quickly followed by a swig of his milk.

After the whole episode was over, I couldn’t help but reflect on the situation in a slightly different light. How often does God stare into my sad little eyes, and tries to explain to me in the simplest terms how important it is that I do some of the things I don’t want to do. That sometimes I have to chew a pill that leaves a bad taste in my mouth for the short term, but leaves me healthy and strong for the future He has planned for me.

As we wait for our house to sell, I’m anxious and exhausted from the daily toll of our long days. And I can just imagine God looking into my sad eyes, knowing that all I want is to not have to go through another long day of being away from my little boy, and serving my family at home. However, I know enough to know, that although I cannot understand why, I know that He is with us in this time of waiting. He is faithful. And He is letting me taste a little bit of that chalky pill, because it will make me stronger and more ready to serve Him in the future. I hope that Zay will always understand that, life isn’t always fair, but it is always good for those who trust in Him!

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. -1Peter 1:6-7

Off with the clothes!

2011-08-09T14:46:00.004-05:00

This summer we have stopped wearing clothes at our house...and by "we" I mean Zay!

He constantly begs to take off his shirt! Sometimes we can convince him to keep his shorts on...othertimes, he ends up running around like this! Thank goodness he has some CUTE little legs to show off!

...By the way - when did he get so tall???

Are we getting ready for something?

2011-07-28T12:28:00.000-05:00

I recently picked up a potty seat.

Side Note: Decided on the seat rather than the entire potty chair. I’m not sure if I’m practical about this, but my thinking is I’d rather not have to clean out a potty chair, and I’d like Zay to get used to sitting on the actual toilet so when we are in public he is already used to using the real thing. Plus, we’ve always had small bathrooms. There’s just not enough room for a(nother) potty! Any words of wisdom from mom's who have been through this? I guess we will see if my theory holds up!

With that being said – I think we have a bit before Zay’s ready for potty training! He enjoys sitting on the seat, while brushing his teeth but otherwise really doesn’t care too much about the whole potty business. But now, when he's ready – I’m ready!

Mohawk

2011-07-28T12:27:00.000-05:00

Zay received a new hairdo at daycare yesterday…

One of the older kids has been into hairstyling lately (with water and a comb), and Zay has come home with a lot of cute ‘do’s’ in the recent weeks. But yesterday’s takes the cake! The pictures don’t really do it justice, because Zay wouldn’t sit still or let me get a side profile picture, but you get the idea!

Keeping up…

2011-07-27T19:46:00.000-05:00

Wow – where did July go!? A little update on where we are at these days.

This summer has been pretty busy for the Austermans! With Shane and I both working, and Shane driving to Iowa City every day, our days tend to go by fast! We have our house on the market, hoping it sells soon, but thus far we’ve had no offers. We are patiently waiting for God’s perfect timing to move on to our next steps near the Iowa City area!

Zay continues to learn and grow daily. What people say about ‘life after tubes’ is so true. Zay has been a little sponge lately! He understands SO MUCH! It’s almost scary all the things he can comprehend. I can’t wait to be home with him and spend time teaching him. Until then, I’m so happy he’s at Lori’s house everyday! She is so great with him!

Last week AEA came in to observe Zay to make sure he’s developing normally. This is something that is completely optional for us at this point, but I feel strongly that since it is a service provided to us, I will take advantage of it! And, it takes a little pressure off of me – they are the experts and I haven’t had to read any books or websites to wonder if Zay is where he needs to be. They tell me each time they come, that there are no concerns for Zay’s development. That is such a relief! The only area that Zay is a little behind in is his speech. He doesn’t speak as many words as he should yet. However – he has started doing sentences in sign language! Our teacher and occupational therapist that observe Zay, think that he will go straight to speaking in sentences and not bother the one-word thing. The area that Zay is off the charts in….social interactions! I had to chuckle at this. A child that doesn’t hardly talk, is astoundingly social! I think anyone that has met Zay, would agree…he’s a happy, content, and affectionate little boy! He can bring a smile to everyone’s day…he gets this from his daddy! All in all, I know the speech will come and I’m thrilled that he has such an infectious personality…you can’t teach that!!

Also, I don’t think I did an update after his last appointments in Iowa City. We had some great news, with his Pediatric Pulmonologist – no more appointments unless Zay has some bad breathing again! Yay!! While down there they did a full blood workup on him. With this they discovered that he had some abnormal results on his iron studies. Basically meaning we just had to put him on an iron supplement. Thankfully, Zay doesn’t mind the iron being mixed in with his formula! And I’ve started to add in a liquid multivitamin in his formula as well. Funny story – Zay has started taking his thyroid pill all by himself. He just pops it in, chews it up, and usually asks me if he can have another one! You would think since he takes this ‘chalky’ little pill, he’d have no problem with a Flintstone vitamin! Not the case – he tries and tries to put that flavored vitamin in his mouth and it’s just too sweet for him! I won’t complain, so glad he takes the other one without any problem!

That’s all the updates I can think of for now! We are just enjoying the time we have left here in the Cedar Valley. Trying to spend a lot of time with friends, neighbors, coworkers and our small group! We still aren’t sure how long we have here, but we do know that we will miss the wonderful people!

Little Learnin Lesson!

2011-07-15T21:26:00.005-05:00

Today my friend Bailey gave me a little lesson on how to use my camera!

SO EXCITING! I can actually take pictures in manual!

And thankfully her adorable little girl was a great subject!! Check out my pics below.

Now for the next challenge...Zay. He moves...really fast usually. We will see if I can catch some shots of him in the near future!

Thanks so much, Bailey!!! :)

Successful Surgery

2011-07-08T08:16:00.005-05:00

Zay had tubes put in this morning...he did great...such a brave little boy! And mom only teared up once when the nurse took him away!

Love his face...really mom - they picked out purple for me? Or maybe he is disgusted with me after asking 'please' and 'drink' a million times and not getting it!

Getting to play while we waited for them to call us.

Snuggling with Mom right after he was done.

And then once he actually woke up a little more, he was back to being a daddy's boy and wanted only him!

Strawberry Jam

2011-07-06T05:19:00.002-05:00

I learned how to make Zay (and us!) some strawberry jam! And is it SO good! My friend Lindsay came over and we diligently followed every step to make our homemade strawberry jam from our hand-picked strawberries! Oh so yummy!

All packaged up in our cute little jars!

And these were our leftover strawberries ready for the freezer!

Strawberry pickin

2011-07-06T05:05:00.000-05:00

We recently headed out to Heartland Farms to do some strawberry pickin! We had such a great time... especially Zay! What more could a little boy with PKU want...a place where he could actually eat whatever he wanted!!

Testing out the strawberries!

Oh yeah...these are tasty!!

Hmmmm...Zay, how much dirt did you eat with those berries?

Yep...I did my part in picking! (While Daddy watched Zay run around) And you can see Grandpa, Grandma, and our friend Lindsay in the background. What a fun afternoon!

One year later...

2011-07-05T14:48:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure how this happened, because we didn't plan it...but it's cool none the less! Check out these pictures by Bailey - one is of Zay at 6 months and one is of Zay at 18 months.

June 2011

June 2010

18 Month Pictures!

2011-07-02T21:12:00.000-05:00

Finally getting some of Zay's 18 month pictures up! Love them...like always, Bailey did an amazing job of capturing our little boy's personality! So happy and so full of spunk! LOVE him! :)

HOT, HOT, HOT!

2011-06-30T12:43:00.003-05:00

Lately Lori has been keeping me up to date almost daily with pictures of of our little man. Can't beat a little sprinkler action on a 90 degree day! :)

Duplos!

2011-06-26T20:27:00.001-05:00

Zay's new favorite toy...duplos! Zay's cousin, Wyatt was generous to pass along his "baby toys"! Note to self...watch your step when walking in our living room!

Marshmallow

2011-06-25T20:32:00.001-05:00

Swinging!

2011-06-25T20:22:00.001-05:00

Family Bike Ride

2011-06-25T20:18:00.001-05:00

This weekend we got our bikes out and enjoyed some family time...so much fun! :)

Campfire complete with marshmallows!

2011-06-25T20:14:00.001-05:00

There is only a little phe in marshmallows, so tonight we enjoyed a campfire complete with marshmallows!

Today's Outfits!

2011-06-23T20:19:00.003-05:00

Today at work I received the following picture from Zay's babysitter, Lori. Along with this explanation (from Zay)..."Thanks for sending my sweatshirt to daycare Mom...look what Lori has done to me"

I have a million excuses as to why Zay didn't have a sweatshirt with him today, but to my defense - I at least had pants on the little man! And I'm grateful that he still got to go outside with the other kids...even if it was in a pink and purple sweatshirt! Besides - he's man enough to pull it off! :)

Then...tonight, Zay is across the room from Shane and I playing with his toys. He stands up and I see something wet on his bottom. I look at Shane and ask...what did Zay sit in? We both look a little closer - it's on both sides of his underwear-diaper line. Yep...a blowout! Haven't had one of those in a long time! So...dad picks out his camouflage pants to replace the soiled mess. So...he's fashion statement turned from the above picture...to this picture! Don't miss the armband - it really finishes off the outfit!

Cinnamon Rolls

2011-06-23T20:06:00.003-05:00

It's been awhile since I've posted a food update...well, that's probably because our precious little boy has become quite the picky eater. BUT, I guess it's probably not your typical picky eater, because he still eats broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, asparagus, apples, bananas, strawberries...so LOTS of fruits and veggies. However, we've gotten into a rut of main dishes. Basically Zay likes to eat broccoli casserole or his lo protein macaroni and cheese. Sometimes we can slip in a grilled cheese and he will accept it, but it's on his terms.

Recently, I attempted to make cinnamon rolls for a special breakfast for Zay. Like I expected he liked these for a couple days...now they will sit in the freezer until he decides he likes them again!

LRZ

2011-06-23T19:20:00.004-05:00

Leyton...Riley...Zay

I think I've posted some pictures of Zay and the Duncan twins before...but we've got some more cute ones! These little guys just turned a year old yesterday!

Zay...trying to help his friends out!

Zay showing Leyton and Riley new ways to play!

Remember when these three looked like this!?!? Wow!!

Just don't tell his dad...

2011-06-18T05:24:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it requires some sophisticated strategies in order to carve out time for mommy to get ready in the mornings...

So, this is how Zay is entertained sometimes...just don't tell his dad he's holding a makeup brush and foundation! :)

Mopping

2011-06-17T05:34:00.000-05:00

My little guy is so helpful! We've had some house showings lately, so we have a routine of mopping the floor often. Zay loves to help...and when he's this cute I can't help but grab the camera!

From This to This...

2011-06-16T20:48:00.009-05:00

Happy 18 months to our favorite little man!! Hard to believe he's changed from this...

to THIS...amazing how much can change in 18 short months!! We love you, Zay!!

Happy 5 Years

2011-06-10T05:00:00.000-05:00

What a beautiful picture. Two people fall in love. Get married. Have a baby. And lived happily ever after.

That’s our life, Babe.

Beautiful if I do say so myself.

I am incredibly fortunate to have married my best friend. We are constantly learning how to live life as husband and wife. How to roll with the punches...soar above the mountain tops one day and drudge through the valleys the next. It is great. How amazing that we get to experience all this together.

A little trip down memory lane...

Do you remember when we first met. Oh my...we were in a Principles of Marketing class and you were so handsome in your dress pants and collared shirt. Only one in class who looked like he was going places! You had swagger, Honey. And I loved it. :) Your confidence and intelligence is so attractive too.

Then do you remember all the times you came over to my {college} house? I knew you were sweet from the word go. How many flowers did you buy me while I lived there? I know it was at least weekly. And now I have to ask you NOT to buy me flowers. (Flowers are pretty, but I just don’t seem to appreciate them enough to spend money on them) Not to mention ALL the favors you did for ALL of us girls! Shoveling our walks, starting our cars in the winter, scraping our car windows, lifting, fixing, doing whatever was needed. I think I had to apologize to the girls a few times. Sorry girls, he’s mine all mine!

And what about when I lived in Des Moines after college? You drove to see me all the time! And when you weren’t there I was visiting you at good ‘ol Ghetto Falls Apartments, as we liked to call them. Great memories there too. You made me our first homemade dinner there...spaghetti. And you dropped all the noodles in the sink when you were draining them. Lucky for you I had no idea this happened. I must have been so swooned by you, I didn’t even notice. When you told me about this a year later I was clueless.

How about our amazing (not weather wise) wedding day? Seemed like mad-chaos all around us, with the rain, the flooding, the cold weather, the stranded people, the tux mishaps, and all the momentum of one day building up...yet we were two little love birds driving away in a corvette, and somehow getting caught in the middle of a small town parade…horses, floats, old cars, and then the newlyweds! And after our wedding reception, you were a true gentleman and complied with my request for Subway cookies. While you stood in line for an m&m cookie, your bride fell asleep in the car...welcome to married life! (jk...kind of) :)

Oh and then our honeymoon cruise. Ahhhhmazingly fun! Jet skiing in the ocean. Snorkeling for the first time. Getting dressed up and eating dinner with you. Having ice cream cones while shopping. Sitting by the pool. Just relaxing with my man. So great.

And what about house hunting together? We eventually found our perfect house, it just took us looking at 50+ houses. So much fun moving in and joining our lives together. Super-duper fun!

And the day we welcomed our baby boy into our family. One of the most incredible experiences two people can share is having a baby together, and I got to share it with you. Remember our first night in the hospital? You fell asleep WAY across the room from me, I couldn’t walk from my epidural, and Isaiah was screaming. I couldn’t get your attention and literally had to throw a pillow at you to wake up. In your defense, there was a really noisy fan running above our ceiling somewhere and we were both exhausted from all the excitement. I think that’s the only time I’ve had to wake you up by throwing something at you…you’ve been amazing ever since!

And just recently…remember the other day when I threw Isaiah in the shower with you, because it was just easier than giving him a separate bath. And since it was his ‘first shower’ I was almost running to get the camera and you screamed something similar to – “OH NO…there will be NO pictures of this event going on the internet!” (For the record, I wasn’t going to get you in the photograph..just wanted to capture how cute Zay looked standing in the shower like a big boy) Haha…oh the fun we have!

Thanks for some of the greatest moments of my life, Babe. The last 5 years have been so much fun. We laugh daily. We love unconditionally. And we learn together. Marriage doesn’t get any better than you and me. I love you…more!

Because someday I will laugh...

2011-06-08T18:08:00.000-05:00

I am posting these pictures, because someday (hopefully) I will be able to laugh at all my failed attempts of perfecting my parenting skills, specifically today, teaching table manners...

Licking the plate clean...yes ma'am!

(This is after he removes all of the items he would no long like to eat and gentlely places them on the table...or feeds them to the dogs)

And this has become quite a habit too...

Feet on the table!

He generally will finish eating and then will kick back, like he's relaxing and has a full belly...and the feet go right up on the table!

I really struggle keeping my laughter to myself when things like this are happening. I mean, if you could see his smashed nose on the other side of the plate and the cutest little piggys next to your plate of food, you'd have a hard time dicisplining too!

Obviously I'm taking this lack of table manners very seriously...that's exactly why I ran to get the camera - so he wouldn't see me laughing at his sly little smiles! We are BOTH working on better behaviors! :)

Pool Time!

2011-06-08T17:41:00.001-05:00

I'm not a huge fan of swimming, but I love being out in the sun and around the water. Shane does in fact love swimming, so it's no surprise that our little guy, who is becoming a spitting image of his daddy, would love the water too.

Before it was CRAZY hot outside, we took him to a local hotel to swim (didn't realize that a couple of hotels in the area will let you come swim for the day for like $3 per swimmer!) Zay instantly LOVED the water!

Our friends Leyton & Riley came with us too!

Last Friday afternoon, I decided it was so hot out, we'd fill his little baby pool. Once again - he LOVED playing in the water!

Then Friday evening we went to the Cedar Falls pool with our small group, and Zay was in heaven! I wish I had some pictures from this outing, because he just loved walking around in waist deep water! And even loved it when the big bucket would spill water over his head!

Needless to say, there will be many more pool outings taking place this summer!

Volleyball

2011-06-06T17:30:00.000-05:00

I have always enjoyed playing volleyball. I usually play it year-around, but really enjoy summer sand volleyball!

In past years Shane and I have played on teams together, but since Zay's been around we've had to do our own thing.

This year, I'm playing on a team with my coworkers and Shane decided to play 2-man.

The other night we went to cheer Daddy on!

Zay did so well, I let him play in the sand while they were warming up, but other than that he didn't run towards the courts at all!

Go Daddy Go!

Doesn't he look like a little 'coach'!?

Stay at Home Mom

2011-06-01T17:18:00.002-05:00

In a few posts back, I mentioned I might expand my thoughts on becoming a stay at home mom.

I had a LONG post written out on how we got to the position we are in, but then decided I wouldn’t actually post it. Not sure exactly why, but I just thought there was an easier way to explain and share why we are doing what we are doing.

The long and short of it, we are whole heartedly trying to follow God’s will in our life.

I recently read the following statement on a blog and felt like it hit the nail on the head for this big change in our life. God doesn’t just want us to call ourselves people of faith. God wants His people to live lives that actually require faith. There’s a difference.

Shane and I talked so much about me being a fulltime mommy, that we finally got to the point that it wasn’t a matter of if, it was a matter of when and how.

My convictions became very apparent that I needed to be home. Not because I don’t enjoy working. Not because I’m unhappy at my job. Not because we are moving. Not because I’m not a successful mom while working. Pure and simple, at this point in my life I’m called to be a mom to Isaiah. It’s hard to leave a great job, but there will be a dozen ‘perfect’ jobs come and go in my lifetime. I have ONE opportunity to raise my child, and this job will never present itself again. Now or never.

God answered our prayers. And although all the details aren’t exactly worked out yet, we are living our life with faith that God will walk with us through this change. He will be our sustainer through leaving the familiar and exploring unmarked territory.

Our house will officially be on the market on Monday. Yahoo! Let the process begin. Praying for a great family to fall in love with our home!

Since this is all new to me, I’m starting to take advice, tips, strategies and helpful hints to prepare for my new role. Ideas like, how to create a schedule? How about, learning and exploring activities to do with Zay? Books I should read? Meal planning strategies? Places I should go with Zay? Groups I should join? And yes, even potty training tips…because we will be there before you know it! If anyone has advice, I would love to hear from you! Comment below OR email me! It is so very much appreciated! :-)